By Blessing Nweke
At least five people have died after Storm Kristin tore through central and northern Portugal, triggering severe flooding, landslides and widespread destruction, authorities said on Wednesday.
The Portuguese government described the storm as an “extreme climactic event” after heavy rain and winds of exceptional strength caused more than 3,000 weather-related incidents nationwide. Schools were closed, buildings damaged and travel ground to a halt across large parts of the country.
In the coastal city of Figueira da Foz, a Ferris wheel was overturned while several vehicles were struck when part of a building’s roof was ripped away by the wind. Civil protection officials said several people were injured after being hit by falling trees or debris.
The strongest gusts were recorded at the Monte Real air base in Leiria, where winds reached 178km/h before monitoring equipment was destroyed. Officials believe the area was likely the storm’s entry point into mainland Portugal.
The civil protection agency ANEPC confirmed that three of the deaths occurred in the central district of Leiria, one of the worst-hit regions. In separate incidents, one person was struck by a metal sheet, another was trapped inside a damaged house, and a man in Vila Franca de Xira died after a tree fell onto his car. A further death was reported in the Marinha Grande area.
More than 850,000 people lost electricity, according to distributor E-Redes. Roads and railways, including the main motorway linking Lisbon to northern Portugal, were blocked by debris.
Ten coastal areas were placed under a red weather warning due to dangerous sea conditions, with waves forecast to reach 14 metres. Prime Minister Luís Montenegro offered condolences and said authorities would take “whatever measures are necessary,” as Leiria’s mayor called for a state of emergency.
After crossing Portugal, Storm Kristin moved into Spain, where it caused thousands of incidents and prompted red wind alerts in parts of Andalusia.
Original article
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