A sudden 'levadia' caught bathers by surprise at the Barreirinha Bathing Complex this afternoon. A powerful wave swept over the pontoon, flooding the surrounding area and forcing several people to quickly move to higher ground.
The incident highlights the unpredictable nature of 'levadias', described as sudden, unusually strong waves or surges. These events have led to increased safety measures at Funchal's bathing complexes in recent days.
Marília Andrade, administrator of Frente MarFunchal, explained to TSF-M that while the phenomenon is familiar to beach workers, its rapid development can catch swimmers unaware. "We can have calm periods lasting an hour, an hour and a half, or even two hours, and then suddenly a stronger wave appears, capable of flooding the solariums and dragging people away. Afterwards, everything returns to normal as though nothing had happened," she stated.
