Intense Downpour Causes Widespread Disruption
Just ten minutes of heavy rainfall were enough to trigger chaos across multiple locations in Greater Lisbon this Tuesday. The situation escalated rapidly, catching many by surprise.
Emergency Response and Hospitalization
A woman was hospitalized at Hospital São Francisco Xavier in Lisbon after being swept away by strong currents in Tercena, Oeiras. According to Oeiras Mayor Isaltino Morais, she was found unconscious and received immediate assistance from Barcarena firefighters before being transported to the hospital with minor injuries.
Rainfall Data and Impact
Data from the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere revealed that in Sintra municipality, between 4 PM and 5 PM, 25.9 liters per square meter fell. Streets quickly transformed into rivers, surprising drivers and creating hazardous conditions.
Critical Incident Locations
The most concerning situation occurred at Rotunda das Seleções in Tercena (Oeiras), where firefighters had to rescue people from immobilized vehicles. Mayor Morais clarified that the problems in Tercena originated from waters coming from Massamá that exceed the capacity of the drainage conduit to Barcarena stream.
Infrastructure and Political Response
In response, the mayor advocated that an €8 million infrastructure project should also receive financial contribution from the neighboring Sintra municipality, highlighting the interconnected nature of the drainage issues.
Widespread Municipal Impact
Other affected municipalities included Almada, Cascais, Odivelas, and Alpiarça. By Tuesday evening, the National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection reported 755 incidents across the country, with the majority occurring in Greater Lisbon. The most frequent cases involved flooding and fallen trees.
Emergency Operations Scale
Resolution efforts involved 2,041 operational personnel supported by 658 ground vehicles, demonstrating the significant resources deployed to manage the crisis.
Transportation Chaos
In Lisbon, automobile traffic became chaotic, particularly in the Campo Pequeno tunnel area, which only reopened around 6:15 PM. Loures municipality also experienced significant flooding in residential areas of São Francisco Neighborhood in Camarate, with additional road flooding reported in Frielas.
Ongoing Weather Warnings
Civil Protection has issued warnings that the possibility of urban flooding and flash floods remains for the coming days. Four districts—Faro, Beja, Setúbal, and Évora—are under orange warning for bad weather this Wednesday.
The rain began falling with intensity from 2 PM, but the situation became more complicated after 4 PM when the heavy rainfall intensified, creating the conditions that led to this widespread disruption across the metropolitan area.
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