Severe Storms Wreak Havoc in Portugal: Over 2800 Incidents, 32 Displaced, and Widespread Disruptions

Portugal has been battered by relentless heavy rain, leading to a staggering 2806 weather-related incidents recorded between Wednesday at 2 PM and Friday at 10 PM. This severe weather has resulted in two fatalities in Fernão Ferro, Seixal, and forced 32 people to evacuate their homes in municipalities including Abrantes, Salvaterra de Magos, Seixal, and Pombal.

Most Affected Regions

• The Península of Setúbal tops the list with 597 occurrences.
• Greater Lisbon follows with 349 incidents.
• The Algarve region reported 285 cases.

Breakdown of Incidents

• Flooding dominated with 1507 reports.
• Fallen trees accounted for 529 occurrences.
• Road clearing made up 311 incidents.

Emergency response involved 7682 personnel and 2947 vehicles deployed to manage the crisis.

Landslide in Azeitão

In Azeitão, Setúbal, a landslide destroyed approximately 20 meters of Rua da Mata and damaged the power supply to the local hospital. José Luís Bucho, Municipal Civil Protection Coordinator, stated that the slide was likely caused by water accumulation in an uncleaned ditch, with ongoing investigations into whether the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) or a private entity is responsible. E-Redes quickly provided generators to restore power to the hospital and water extraction points.

Extreme Weather in the Algarve

Faro experienced extreme wind phenomena on Friday morning, causing tree and structure falls, though no injuries were reported. This follows significant impacts from Depression Cláudia in the sotavento Algarve region on Thursday.

Civil Protection Recommendations

Civil Protection emphasizes that preventive behaviors can minimize weather impacts. Key advice includes:

• Clear rainwater drainage systems to prevent blockages.
• Avoid wooded areas due to risks of falling trees.
• Stay away from coastal and riverside zones.
• On roads, practice defensive driving by reducing speed and watching for water accumulation.
• Do not cross flooded areas to avoid being swept away.

Weather Warnings

• The Portuguese Institute of Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) has issued an orange warning for Faro, Beja, and Setúbal from 9 AM to 3 PM on Saturday, forecasting persistent, sometimes heavy rain with thunderstorms.
• A yellow wind warning is also in effect for these districts, with gusts up to 80 km/h.
• All mainland districts remain under a yellow rain warning until 9 PM Friday, and the entire coast is under a yellow maritime agitation warning from midnight to 6 PM Saturday.
• In Madeira, weather is expected to worsen until Saturday afternoon due to Depression Cláudia, particularly affecting the south coast and mountainous areas.

Railway Disruptions and Restorations

• Rail service on the Beira Baixa Line between Covilhã and Tortosendo, interrupted by a derailment of an empty train on Thursday, resumed at 6:40 AM Friday.
• Bus transfers were arranged between Fundão and Guarda for affected passengers.
• Other lines experienced disruptions, including the North Line (Entroncamento to Riachos), West Line (Louriçal to Amieira), Beira Alta Line (Contenças), and Alentejo Line (Pinhal Novo to Poceirão).