The depression Cláudia has surged the number of incidents in Portugal, with the National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection (ANEPC) reporting as of 11:00 am today, two deaths, five people displaced from two flooded homes, and 918 incidents, while 13,000 customers remained without electricity. Are work absences justified and paid if one cannot go to work due to a storm?
According to DECO PROTeste, “workers who are prevented from reaching their workplace due to a storm can justify their absence”.
“Moreover, this absence cannot result in loss of salary“, explains the consumer protection organization.
According to the law, “absences caused by events not attributable to workers, such as a flood that prevents access to public transport, must be considered justified by the employer”, DECO PROTeste further explains.
According to DECO PROTeste, “it is the responsibility of local authorities to safeguard their municipality’s assets”, but “citizens can only claim compensation if they can prove that the local authority did not maintain the tree that fell on the vehicle properly.” Does insurance cover the damages?
Beatriz Vasconcelos with Lusa | 11:52 – 13/11/2025
Severe Weather Causes Two Deaths, Five Displacements, and 918 Incidents
In a statement to Lusa, José Costa from ANEPC reported that two individuals died in Fernão Ferro, Seixal, in the Setúbal district, due to a home flooding, and five people were displaced from two flooded homes in Alferrarede, Abrantes.
Altogether, up until 11:00 am, 918 incidents were recorded in Portugal, of which 594 were floods and 140 were tree falls, he added.
The Lisbon and Tagus Valley region was the most affected by the depression Cláudia, with 540 incidents.
In the Central region, 263 incidents were reported.
The North recorded 66 incidents, Alentejo 19, and Algarve 31, according to ANEPC.
By 10:30 am, E-REDES reported 13,000 customers affected by the power outage, mainly in the districts of Lisbon, Santarém, and Setúbal, according to an official company source.
Early this morning, around 20,000 customers were without electricity supply in the districts of Lisbon, Santarém, and Setúbal, according to E-REDES.
The depression Cláudia has been affecting mainland Portugal and the Madeira archipelago since Wednesday with heavy rain, strong winds, and significant maritime agitation, according to the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA).
In the Santarém and Setúbal districts, IPMA issued a red warning, the most severe, for heavy and persistent rain until 10:00 am today.
In the districts of Portalegre, Évora, and Beja, the orange warning will be in force until 12:00, due to “rain, sometimes heavy and persistent”.
In Faro, the orange warning extends until 3:00 pm today.
The rest of the mainland and the Madeira archipelago are under a yellow warning today.
The red warning is the most severe and is issued whenever there are extreme situations, while the orange warning is issued by IPMA whenever there is a “moderate to high-risk meteorological situation, and yellow when there is a risk situation for certain activities dependent on the meteorological situation.
