Flooding in Coimbra on February 11 – photo: Pedro Nunes
Thousands have been evacuated in northern Portugal as torrential storms caused widespread flooding on Wednesday. Portugal has been battered by severe weather since the end of January, with extreme conditions tearing roofs from buildings and inundating towns, leaving hundreds of thousands without power for days, according to reports. At least 16 people have died in the storms, including an elderly man who recently succumbed to injuries.
While the storms eased earlier this week, a so-called “atmospheric river” transported vast amounts of moisture from the tropics towards Portugal, triggering further rainfall. In the city of Coimbra, 3,000 people were evacuated fearing a dam breach, as conditions were expected to worsen Wednesday evening. The city’s medieval walls, a UNESCO World Heritage site, have also been impacted by the weather. Forecasters do not anticipate any improvement in the weather until Saturday.
