Red alert for 5 regions in Portugal : rain, thunderstorm, flood and 130 km/h winds expected this Thursday
The weather is getting worse in Portugal and we'll have to be careful! Indeed, the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and the Atmosphere (IPMA) issued a red alert, the most serious, for 5 regions of Portugal because of the forecast of heavy persistent rains and the risk of flood expected this Thursday. Thunderstorms will also be present, and IPMA says winds will reach 130 km / h in the Minho region. The bad will persist until Saturday and almost the entire country will be under orange alert until then. Which regions are placed on red alert? What precautions should be taken ? Lisbob, the expatriate assistant to Portugal, tells you all about this red alert.
Red alert for 5 regions in Portugal : rain, thunderstorm, flood and 130 km/h winds expected this Thursday
5 regions under red alert
The IPMA advisory will be in effect between 12:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. this Thursday for the Braga and Vila Real regions, and between 12:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. in Viana do Castelo, the Portuguese Institute for the Sea and Atmosphere said. The Porto and Aveiro regions will be placed on red alert between 3 and 9 p.m. this Thursday.
According to the IPMA, the rains should be "strong and persistent and may be accompanied by a thunderstorm". In the warning issued for the districts of Minho, the gusts of wind can reach between 100 and 130 kilometers per hour. The regions of Braga and Viana do Castelo will remain on orange alert for precipitation and wind until Saturday.
Orange alert until Saturday
Almost all of Portugal will also remain on orange alert for precipitation and wind between Wednesday and Saturday evening. The districts of Bragança, Viseu, Porto, Guarda, Faro, Vila Real, Setubal, Santarém, Viana do Castelo, Lisbon, Leiria, Beja, Castelo Branco, Coimbra, Portalegre and Braga are concerned.
Orange alert until Saturday
The National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority has warned the population against worsening weather conditions, with abundant and persistent precipitation, high winds in the highlands and heavy seas around the coast.
Civil Protection warns of the possibility of "rapid flooding in urban areas due to the accumulation of rainwater or insufficient drainage systems" and "flooding by overflowing water pipes in historically most vulnerable areas ”.
The Civil Protection also informs that, taking into account the forecasts of the IPMA, there is the possibility of flooding of “underground urban structures presenting deficits of drainage” and of formation of water on the road (aquaplaning), as well as falling tree branches, overhead or suspended structures. "
The highest red alert level invites everyone to be extremely vigilant and to take all possible precautions, avoiding outdoor activities as much as possible.