The main street of the historic center of Santa Maria da Feira, located in the district of Aveiro, was completely flooded in the early hours of Saturday due to heavy rains brought by storm Claudia.
Images of the floods have been shared on social media, showing the street transformed into a genuine river, with water rushing forcefully, carrying away tables and chairs from the outdoor terraces present there.
The flooding did not spare local businesses, inundating cafes, restaurants, and other commercial establishments in the area.
View the images in our gallery.
However, the flooding was not confined to the historic center.
Vítor Marques, the Councilor for Civil Protection in Santa Maria da Feira, stated that “the bad weather caused damage throughout the entire municipality”, with property damage still being assessed.
“There are no victims or injuries, but the situation was complicated during the night with water rising to house-level, tree falls, and floods. The worst period was between 02:00 and 04:00 due to heavy rain and hail,” he reported.
The councilor added that he has teams on the ground, including the municipal works brigade and green space management, “assessing the immediate needs of the population, recording incidents, and closing roads that need to be closed.”
“A slope gave way on a road in Sampaio de Oleiros, and the road is closed. In riverside areas, the water rose but is now under control. In the center of Santa Maria da Feira, in the downtown Rossio area near restaurants, it was also difficult. No preventive measure could contain this situation. We recorded pieces of facade falling, mostly in abandoned houses,” said the mayor.
The storm and intense rains in the early morning caused floods, tree falls, and road closures in Santa Maria da Feira (Aveiro), and the situation is being evaluated, said the Civil Protection councilor.
Lusa | 14:13 – 15/11/2025
On social media, the Municipality of Santa Maria da Feira issued several recommendations to residents, reinforcing that “all teams are mobilized to ensure everyone’s safety.”
“During this night, the municipality was hit by an extreme phenomenon of high-intensity rain and hail, causing various incidents in different areas of the territory,” stated the municipality, emphasizing that the Municipal Civil Protection Service has been “on the ground from the very first moment.” “The Parish Councils are also ready to assist the population,” the post reads.
“We want to convey calmness and emphasize that all teams are mobilized to ensure everyone’s safety,” assured the municipality.
In the same post, the local government also provided a series of Civil Protection recommendations, urging residents to clean “gutters and drains to ensure proper water flow”; secure “loose objects on balconies and terraces (with special attention to Christmas decorations); drive “prudently,” reducing speed and being mindful of water surfaces on the road; and avoid “areas with many trees, due to the risk of falling branches.”
