The Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) placed the district of Faro under a red weather warning this Wednesday morning, 29 October 2025, as heavy rain caused widespread flooding across parts of the eastern Algarve.
According to the National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection (ANEPC), dozens of incidents were reported in Faro, Olhão, and Vila Real de Santo António, mostly related to water accumulation on roads, in garages, and in commercial premises due to the severe weather.
Hélder Correia, operations chief at the Algarve’s sub-regional command, told press that “all teams are on the ground” and “working in critical areas where urban flooding and traffic disruption have been reported.”
Among the hardest-hit locations were Faro’s city centre, the riverside area of Olhão, and Avenida da República in Vila Real de Santo António, where torrential rain left several vehicles stranded.
The IPMA reported that the red warning was in effect from 7:43 to 10:00 a.m. due to “persistent and heavy rainfall in the eastern Algarve, at times accompanied by thunder and strong gusts of wind.” The alert was later downgraded to orange until 3:00 p.m., and subsequently to yellow.
Authorities urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel and to exercise extra caution near rivers and flood-prone areas.
Photo credit to Bruno Filipe Pires
