According to the National Directorate of Emergency Management and Civil Protection, until 17:30 this Thursday, rain and wind were responsible for 377 incidents on the continent, mainly in the areas of Lisbon, Porto and Coimbra, with no casualties recorded.
“As of 17:30, we have recorded 377 incidents related to adverse weather conditions, more than 40 in the city of Lisbon,” said Luse Paulo Santos, operations officer at the National Emergency Management and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC).
According to the same source, the most affected areas “were the northern and central coast”, namely the Greater Lisbon and Coimbra regions, as well as the Porto metropolitan area.
“We’re talking about falling trees and falling structures. They were the ones who influenced these numbers the most. This is due to perceived strong winds and precipitation. Although this is not frequent, they accumulate and the earth becomes more saturated,” he explained.
Given the weather conditions forecast for the next few hours, the ANEPC Duty Commander advised motorists to “be very careful”.
“When driving a car, be very careful with the floor, which is very slippery, and with layers of water. During the day, we recorded several traffic accidents caused by inappropriate driving conditions,” they explained.
On Wednesday, ANEPC warned the public of the risk of flooding due to rain forecast in the next 48 hours.
The warning follows forecasts from the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and the Atmosphere (IPMA): rain, sometimes heavy, especially in the coastal areas of Minho and Douro, winds gusting up to 85 kilometers per hour, rough seas and the possibility of snowfall in the highest areas. points of Serra da Estrela.
Floods can occur in urban areas, floods, landslides and landslides, accidents on the coast due to rough seas and groundwater levels or ice accumulation on roads.
Given the forecasts, Civil Defense recommends appropriate behavior and basic preventive measures, “especially in historically more vulnerable areas.”
In particular, it is recommended to unblock rainwater drainage systems, secure loose structures appropriately, and take “extra care” when driving near forested areas and along coastlines and drive with caution.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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