On Wednesday evening in Portugal, a significant event occurred due to heavy rains and flooding — a dam break on the Mondego River near the city of Coimbra. This led to the destruction of part of a key highway connecting the cities of Lisbon and Porto.
This is reported by Finway
Severe Weather Consequences for Residents
The Mayor of Coimbra, Ana Abrunhosa, reported that the dam break occurred near a highway support, resulting in a significant sinkhole on that section of the road, which had been previously closed by the police. According to her, the situation in Coimbra and the surrounding areas remains critical: several towns have become isolated due to the disaster.
“Coimbra and the surrounding towns are facing very serious problems due to the flooding, some of them are isolated… The situation is extremely unstable,” she noted.
The city authorities have decided to preemptively evacuate about 3,000 residents who are in the highest risk zone due to rising water levels in the Mondego River.
The Disaster Affects Central and Southern Regions
According to Portugal’s Prime Minister Luís Montenegro, state services are operating at the limits of their capabilities to contain the effects of the severe weather and minimize damage to the population. Since the end of January, the central and southern regions of the country have been suffering from powerful storms and floods, which have already claimed the lives of at least 15 people.
Emergency services continue rescue and recovery operations, and local authorities are urging citizens to follow instructions and be prepared for further evacuations in case the situation worsens.