Portugal Braces For More Rain As 200,000 Remain Without Power
Portugal braced on Saturday for more heavy rain as some 200,000 consumers were still without power days after Storm Kristin swept the country killing five people.
The national weather agency, IPMA, has placed all of mainland Portugal on alert until Monday for heavy rain accompanied by winds of up to 100 kmh (60 mph).
With rivers already swollen and the soil waterlogged, Portugal’s civil protection service warned the fresh rainfall could cause flash flooding in urban areas and trigger landslides and rockfalls.
Officials urged residents to secure loose objects, avoid vulnerable coastal and riverside areas, and take precautions when driving.
Storm Kristin’s hurricane-force winds struck central and northern Portugal overnight Tuesday, causing flooding and property damage and disrupting travel. It also tore down about 5,800 trees across Portugal.
Emergency services said they carried out 34 land rescues and 17 water rescues in its wake.
Some 198,000 customers were still without power Saturday afternoon, mainly in the Leiria district of central Portugal, according to power company E-Redes.
A 73-year-old man died Saturday after falling from a roof while replacing tiles in the town of Batalha near Leiria, local officials said.
Leiria mayor Goncalo Lopes appealed for volunteers to help repair damaged roofs before more rain arrived Sunday.
