“We had 68 incidents, most of which were flooding of public roads and structures in the Metropolitan Area of Porto, without causing casualties or serious damage due to the rain,” said José Costa from ANEPC.
Out of the 68 incidents recorded, 59 were flooding of public roads and structures, three involved fallen trees, two were roadway cleanups, and four were landslides.
The majority of incidents (57) were recorded in the Metropolitan Area of Porto, with the remainder occurring in the Ave and Cávado regions.
According to José Costa, 105 personnel were deployed, supported by 35 vehicles.
The Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) forecasts for today and Saturday a worsening of weather conditions in mainland Portugal with rain, sometimes heavy and persistent, particularly in the northern and central regions, along with wind and maritime agitation.
The forecast of heavy rain led the IPMA to issue a red warning for the districts of Viseu, Aveiro, and Coimbra between 6:00 AM and noon today, switching to orange from noon today until midnight Saturday, and then to yellow until noon Saturday.
Bragança, Porto, Guarda, Vila Real, Viana do Castelo, Leiria, and Braga are also under an orange warning for rain today, switching to yellow until 3:00 PM Saturday.
IPMA also placed Setúbal, Santarém, Lisbon, Castelo Branco, and Portalegre under a yellow warning today and Saturday.
The red warning issued by IPMA indicates an extreme weather risk. An orange warning signifies a moderate to high risk, whereas yellow indicates a risk for certain activities reliant on weather conditions.
Due to the severe weather, ANEPC issued a public warning on Thursday urging preventive behavior due to the forecast of heavy rain, wind, and the possibility of floods or inundations in the upcoming days.
A source from ANEPC informed that the readiness level was raised to 3, indicating greater response capability from the operational teams.
Civil Protection warned that significant variations in river flows could occur in historically more vulnerable areas.
The worsening meteorological conditions are linked to flood forecasts in urban areas, floods, and contamination of potable water sources by debris from rural fires.
Civil Protection highlighted the necessity to ensure the clearance of rainwater drainage systems and the proper securing of loose structures, such as scaffolding, signs, and other suspended materials.
The Public Security Police (PSP) also advised drivers on Thursday about the adverse weather conditions expected in the coming days, which heighten the risk of road accidents.
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