Lisbon – At least sixteen people have died in Portugal since as a succession of storms – Kristin, Leonardo, and Marta – swept across the country, leaving hundreds evacuated, roads cut off, and significant flooding, particularly in the region of Coimbra. The extreme weather has prompted the resignation of the country’s Interior Minister, Maria Lúcia Amaral, amid criticism of the government’s response.
The latest confirmed fatality was a 72-year-old man who died on in Coimbra University Hospital after suffering an accident while carrying out repairs to the roof of a relative’s house in the municipality of Pombal, according to reports from the Lusa news agency.
Civil Protection authorities have urged residents in flood-prone areas to exercise caution, with particular concern focused on areas near the Mondego River. A levee in Casais collapsed, prompting the aerial rescue of four workers who became stranded after the infrastructure failed. The Portuguese Air Force was deployed to assist in the operation.
Prime Minister Luís Montenegro has warned that further rainfall is expected until the morning of , potentially exacerbating the situation and threatening the stability of the remaining sections of the levee connecting Coimbra with Figueira da Foz. The breach has resulted in the closure of both directions of traffic on the A1 highway between the Coimbra Norte and Coimbra Sul interchanges.
Environment Minister Maria da Graça Carvalho stated that the flow rate at the Coimbra dam has reached 2,100 cubic meters per second, exceeding the design capacity of the levees. “Just in these two days, the rainfall is equivalent to 20% of Portugal’s annual average,” she revealed, highlighting the exceptional nature of the recent weather events.
Authorities alerted residents to the levee collapse on the night of and proceeded to evacuate approximately 3,000 people from their homes as a precautionary measure. Currently, floodwaters are flowing towards agricultural land, providing some degree of containment.
The crisis prompted the resignation of Interior Minister Maria Lúcia Amaral on , following widespread criticism of her handling of the emergency response to Storm Kristin. Prime Minister Montenegro will temporarily assume her responsibilities.
The resignation comes as the opposition Socialist Party has sharply criticized the government’s response, with Secretary-General Jose Luis Carneiro stating that Amaral’s departure “is proof that the government has failed in its response to this emergency.”
The Iberian Peninsula has experienced increasingly prolonged and intense periods of extreme weather, including heavy rainfall and heatwaves. Scientists have long linked these events to human-induced climate change. Satellite imagery released by the European Space Agency (ESA) has captured the extent of the rainfall and subsequent flooding across Portugal’s Tagus river basin.
Beyond the immediate humanitarian crisis, the damage caused by the storms is estimated at €4 billion. The collapse of a section of the A1 motorway, a critical transportation artery connecting Lisbon and Porto, underscores the broader infrastructural impact. The disruption to transportation networks and agricultural lands will likely have significant economic consequences.
The situation in Coimbra remains particularly precarious. Mayor Ana Abrunhosa described the situation as “extremely unstable,” noting that some towns are isolated due to the flooding. Authorities are working to assess the full extent of the damage and provide assistance to affected communities.
The storms have also impacted neighboring Spain, with one death reported in connection with Storm Leonardo last week. The coordinated response across the Iberian Peninsula will be crucial in mitigating the long-term effects of the extreme weather events. The Portuguese government faces mounting pressure to demonstrate effective leadership and provide adequate support to those affected by the ongoing crisis.
The resignation of the Interior Minister marks a significant political development amidst the unfolding disaster. The temporary assumption of her duties by Prime Minister Montenegro signals a heightened level of government involvement in the emergency response. However, the long-term implications of the crisis and the government’s handling of it remain to be seen.
