Calvià prepares for the eclipse with special security measures

Around 60 Calvià Local Police officers, along with Civil Protection personnel and other security and emergency resources, will form part of the operation.

The Calvià Town Council will deploy a special security and mobility operation this Wednesday, 12th of August, involving around 60 Calvià Local Police officers, as well as Civil Protection personnel and other security and emergency resources, in response to the solar eclipse and the high number of people expected at various locations across the municipality.

The operation has been designed to anticipate foreseeable risks, ensure public safety, facilitate an immediate response to any emergency and manage traffic, while maintaining access at all times for emergency vehicles, public transport and essential services during the hours when the highest concentration of people and vehicles is expected.

The aim is to reduce the risks associated with large concentrations of people and vehicles and ensure that emergency services can respond quickly to any incident.

The plan was finalised on Monday, 10th of August, during a meeting of the Calvià Town Council working committee, which reviewed the latest details relating to security, mobility, emergencies, fire prevention, beaches and the coastline.

The meeting was attended by Calvià Mayor Juan Antonio Amengual; First Deputy Mayor and Councillor for Local Police and Civil Protection Esperanza Catalá; Deputy Mayor for Tourism, Beaches and Coastline Elisa Monserrat; Deputy Mayor for the Environment Juan Thomás; Councillor responsible for Peguera, Benito Ferrer; Director General for Tourism and Communications Jaime Mora; and Acting Chief Inspector of the Calvià Local Police Antonio Pascual, as well as technical staff responsible for the services involved.

One of the main elements of the operation will be traffic management. The Local Police will deploy officers at six strategic points across the municipality, from where traffic will be managed according to how the situation develops throughout the day, with particular attention paid to ensuring the passage of public transport, municipal services and emergency vehicles.

The operation will be dynamic, and restrictions may be modified, extended or introduced progressively depending on occupancy levels in the observation areas, traffic intensity, parking availability and security and emergency requirements at any given time.

Acting Chief Inspector of the Calvià Local Police Antonio Pascual has stressed the importance of planning journeys and making them sufficiently in advance. The Town Council warns that traffic volumes are expected to be significantly higher than usual on the day and that anticipating journeys will help reduce congestion and facilitate the management of the operation.

When the areas with the highest concentrations of people reach the established occupancy levels, or when mobility conditions so require, access for additional vehicles may be restricted. For this reason, the Town Council recommends avoiding private vehicles whenever possible and using public transport.

The traffic management measures are intended to prevent large concentrations of vehicles from compromising safety or obstructing access for ambulances, firefighters, police, Civil Protection and other essential services.

The Official Observation Zone (ZOO) at Santa Ponça beach will also be monitored using aerial resources to track occupancy levels and assist decision-making throughout the day.

Once the established capacity in this area has been reached, access will be closed. The Town Council therefore reminds the public that travelling to Santa Ponça does not guarantee access to the Official Observation Zone, as access conditions will depend on occupancy, traffic, parking capacity and the requirements of the security operation.

Santa Ponça will be one of the main operational areas due to the concentration of people expected there during the eclipse. The operation will be reinforced by Civil Protection personnel and an extraordinary extension of the Santa Ponça beach lifeguard service until 10:00 p.m., ensuring security and assistance coverage during and after the eclipse.

In addition, resources and boats will be available to strengthen surveillance and response capacity in the event of any incident at sea, as part of the coordinated security operation planned for the day.

The Town Council reminds residents and visitors that lighting fires and carrying out any activity that could create a fire risk is prohibited, particularly in forested areas, natural spaces, viewpoints and their surroundings.

Given the conditions typical of August and the exceptional concentration of people expected, the Town Council is making a particular appeal for responsible behaviour and strict compliance with the instructions issued by security and emergency services.

People are also advised against travelling to forested areas, natural spaces, viewpoints or elevated locations that have not been specifically designated for viewing the eclipse and that may present difficulties in terms of access or evacuation or a higher fire risk.

Any irresponsible behaviour could endanger both people attending to watch the eclipse and the natural environment, while also making it more difficult for emergency services to respond.

The Calvià Town Council is making one recommendation in particular: avoid all non-essential journeys in the hours before and during the eclipse, especially towards coastal areas, viewpoints and elevated locations.

The expected high concentration of vehicles and people makes it necessary to minimise unnecessary travel as much as possible in order to keep roads clear and guarantee access for ambulances, firefighters, police, Civil Protection, public transport and other essential services.

Whenever possible, people are advised to observe the phenomenon from their home, tourist accommodation or a nearby, safe location, without making additional journeys.

Permission to access an area does not guarantee that parking will be available. Vehicles must always be parked in designated areas and drivers must comply with the normal traffic and parking regulations.

The operation may be adapted throughout the day depending on developments in traffic, occupancy levels, parking capacity and security requirements. For this reason, the Town Council recommends that residents and visitors stay informed and follow the instructions of the Local Police and emergency services at all times.

All information on restrictions, access and any possible changes to the operation will be communicated through the official channels of Calvià Town Council: the municipal website, social media and the official WhatsApp channel.