Severe Weather Hits Continental Portugal
Continental Portugal is currently facing severe weather conditions. From north to south, numerous incidents were reported throughout Wednesday due to the arrival of depression Ivo.
Over 50 Incidents in Lisbon District
In Lisbon alone, between midnight and 8 PM on January 29, 55 incidents were recorded, ranging from fallen trees and structural collapses to road clearances and flooding. At around 4:45 PM on Wednesday, a falling tree caused minor injuries to a 65-year-old woman. It’s important to note that the Lisbon district is under a red alert until 6 AM on Thursday due to rough seas, with forecasts predicting northwest waves between 7 and 8 meters, potentially reaching a maximum height of 15 meters. The alert level will change to orange until 3 PM on Thursday and then to yellow until midnight on Friday.
Health Unit in Coimbra Closed Due to Weather
The Pulsar Family Health Unit at the Norton de Matos Health Center in Coimbra had to close in the afternoon due to the adverse weather. “Following the storm in recent days, which had a significant impact on the Central region, the Norton de Matos Health Center suffered property damage, resulting in water infiltration inside the building,” explained a statement from the Local Health Unit (ULS).
School Roof in Leiria Damaged by Strong Winds
In Leiria, strong winds lifted two large tiles from the metal sandwich panel roof of the Henrique Sommer Basic and Secondary School in Macieira. “It was quite a scare. Fortunately, there were no students at the school, as we are currently on a break. Only teachers were present for meetings,” clarified Jorge Bajouco, the director of the Maceira School Group. The alarm was raised at 4:58 PM, and two vehicles from the Maceira Volunteer Firefighters, supported by seven personnel, responded to the scene. During this time, Leiria was battered by strong winds, heavy rain, and thunderstorms.
Kitesurfer Injured by 90 km/h Gust
A 16-year-old kitesurfer at Cabedelo beach in Vila Nova de Gaia was caught off guard by a gust of wind exceeding 90 km/h, which propelled him into the Cantareira jetty in Porto. “He was a victim of a wind phenomenon above 90 km/h that carried him across the Douro River estuary, crashing against the Cantareira jetty,” said Rui Lampreia, the commander of the Douro Captaincy. The incident occurred around 2:52 PM. Fortunately, the young man was rescued by a team from the Douro lifeguard station.
Tree Fall Leads to School Evacuation in Matosinhos
A tree fell onto the fence of the Gonçalves Zarco Secondary School, causing damage to parked vehicles. According to the Public Relations source of the Porto Metropolitan Command of the PSP, no injuries were reported, but due to the presence of trees surrounding the school, a precautionary evacuation was decided. Earlier in Matosinhos, at 8:20 AM, another tree fell onto the metro line near the Pedro Hispano station, interrupting service for about 20 minutes. Flooding was also reported in the streets, along with roof tiles falling onto parked cars. Additionally, train services on the Guimarães line between Santo Tirso and Guimarães were suspended due to a fallen tree.
Tree Fall Suspends Train Services on the South Line
Train services on the South Line in the municipality of Grândola have been suspended since 8:40 PM due to a tree falling onto the catenary. A source from the Sub-Regional Emergency Command and Civil Protection of Alentejo Litoral indicated that a team from Infraestruturas de Portugal and Grândola firefighters were on-site around 10:50 PM to remove the tree. An intercity train traveling from south to north is currently halted at the Grândola station.
Weather Outlook for Thursday
Starting Thursday, while rainfall is expected to ease, with only the Azores forecasted to receive rain (where the minimum temperature will rise to 14°C), maritime agitation is set to affect the coastline. According to IPMA, the entire Portuguese coast will be under a red alert due to rough seas. Continental Portugal will experience cloudy skies on Thursday, with minimum temperatures in Guarda expected to drop to around 1°C.
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