Comments on: What happened exactly?

By: Gavin

Gavin — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 04:21:52 +0000

I must comment on what ‘Norma’ stated previously. Although not all answers are to be found in the sciences, of course to say this is absurd. However, regarding the incident that happened recently in Madeira I believe Science offers many answers. First of all climatology and meteorology can begin to explain ‘how’ the awful events occured, of course they cannot answer ‘why?’ however it is clear to me that it is merely the blind and uncaring indifference of nature. We can then, however begin to look at the issues regarding the excess amount of water which devastated the beautiful city of Funchal and other towns and villages on the southern shores. Although the ferocious, blind and callous happenings that nature sometimes throws at us are out of our control, this is not to say that we cannot be better prepared for them. For example; urban planners could begin to look at what went wrong in Funchal and the other towns and start to look into what can be done to avoid, or to at least lessen the possibility of a tragedy such as this one to happen again. Eco-physicists, ecologists, among others can all help to reduce Madeira’s susceptibility to large scale flooding, landslides etc. It takes a tragedy like this for gorvernance, politicians, developers and councels to realize where they have went wrong. I visited Madeira in July last year, I was told by several people that development has immensely increased in past years, this is not necessarily a bad thing, however careful, steady and efficient development should be as standard, given the geographical and geological predisposition of the beautiful, verdant island of Madeira, which by the way, I shall undoubtedly be returning to in the foreseeable future. One further comment, to simply say ‘but ultimately it truly is out of our hands’ is defeatest, civilization would not have begun with this attitude, in which I’m guessing you evidently benefit so much from. This attitude, (thankfully) does not seem to be apparant in the admirable and seemingly pliable and resilent folk of Madeira.

By: Norma Martins Butner

Norma Martins Butner — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 23:18:03 +0000

Did it ever occur to anyone that sometimes there aren’t answers to be found in science? We have grown so scientific, myself included, that we forget that forces so far “Greater than Man” truly controll this planet. If something happened once–it can always happen again. We need to come to the realization that we should not and can not controll everything. Again and again our planet keeps reminding us of this fact. There are forces/things/beings (whatever you want to call it)are so far greater than man that we need to look in there/His direction for our answers. Man can use his learning to try and prevent these desiasters, but ultimately it truly is out of our hands.

By: John

John — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 17:45:57 +0000

Why so many rocks? It seems an avalanche.
Did some part of the mountain breakthrough?

By: Joel Ferreira

Joel Ferreira — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 17:19:12 +0000

If reminding people of the dumping of rocks and dirt on the mountain slopes, that has taken place over the years, without regard to the consequences, when it rains, is politics, then my comment is not going to be posted.
They saved a few thousand euros by not dumping at the proper sites, and now everybody is going to pay. Over one billion euros, I heard, the estimated cost of reconstruction.
I guess the same people will be hired to do the clean up and reconstruction. It’s a win, win situation.
Will the people of Madeira ever wake up?

By: Trevor Trotman

Trevor Trotman — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 11:00:34 +0000

It’s quite simple really isn’t it. Funchal is a natural amphitheatre. The water comes off the mountains into Funchal from all directions, it’s almost as if the city centre is at the bottom of a funnel.
What makes it worse and probably what caused the devastation to the Anadia shopping centre is that, what is a very wide ribeira half a mile up the road becomes quite narrow ribeira in front of the Anadia and Mercado. The water has nowhere to go except out of the ribeira and onto the road.