“This year we will begin developing the project for the stabilisation, arrangement and recovery of the entire Moledo beach area. The intervention will be subsequent,” stated the government official.

In statements to the Lusa news agency, regarding his visit this morning to the areas most affected by the bad weather in Caminha, in the district of Viana do Castelo, João Manuel Esteves said that it had been “established that the City Council and the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) will identify the priority and urgent works”.

“They will have to find solutions and budgets so that they can be supported, which is expected to happen within the framework of protocols to be established between the municipalities and the Ministry of the Environment,” he said.

When questioned about the Government's contribution to the stabilisation works on the Moledo beach seawall, undertaken by the municipality, the Secretary of the Environment said that the City Council and the APA (Portuguese Environment Agency) are "assessing the damages, within the framework of the support that [the Government] is negotiating with the municipalities".

The Mayor of Caminha, Liliana Silva, stated that "a commitment was made to identify the priority works that the municipality is undertaking immediately to stabilise the entire coastal and riverbank area".

The mayor added that this assessment will be submitted to the Government "to guarantee some support".

“It is crucial because these are projects with very high costs, due to the destruction caused by the rough seas and the rising water level of the Coura River. We need some support to carry out these interventions,” said Liliana Silva, adding that the total value of the damage caused by the storms has not yet been estimated.

On 7 February, the local authority closed the seawall due to the “collapse of parts of the walkway,” since “the action of the sea caused the sand to be eroded under the structure, leaving the pavement suspended and without adequate support,” the municipality described on social media.

“Given the imminent risk of further falling blocks and the pavement itself, the circulation of vehicles and people in the seawall areas remains prohibited,” the municipality informed at the time, specifying that the “northern end” was the most affected by the strong sea agitation, “with the displacement of large stones and destruction of the protective base.”