Portugal remained on high alert today, Wednesday 28th January, as the impact of Storm Kristin battered the country, leaving around 500,000 people still without electricity by mid-afternoon, according to the Secretary of State for Civil Protection Rui Rocha. At the peak of the disruption, close to one million residents, almost a tenth of Portugal’s population,were without power.
Rocha has stated that one of the most significant consequences of the storm was the fall of trees, which caused widespread disruption to road networks. He stressed that the state of alert and readiness remained at its highest level and recalled that the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) had issued a red warning due to rough sea conditions for today as well.
Asked about a request from the mayor of Leiria for a state of calamity to be declared, the Secretary of State said such a decision would only be taken after a full assessment of the situation.
Presidential race frontrunner António José Seguro also commented on the situation, expressing his condolences for the deaths caused by the severe weather. He said he had been following developments closely and had been in contact with several mayors in the affected regions, adding that he was considering adjusting his campaign schedule in the coming days to visit impacted areas.
“Although I am not President, only a candidate for President of the Republic, I have been closely monitoring what is happening in the country and have already spoken with some mayors from the most affected regions. I express my condolences to the families of the victims,” Seguro told journalists on the sidelines of a campaign event with cultural figures in Lisbon.
He argued that the responsibility of a President of the Republic is to follow the situation “minute by minute, second by second” and to make himself available to help ensure a swift return to normality.
Questioned on whether such involvement should be discreet, the Socialist Party-backed candidate said that Portugal has a coordinated civil protection system that responds to these situations and that, to his knowledge, it was functioning properly. “That is positive. We should allow those who are working to do their job,” he said.
On whether the head of state should be more visibly present at such times, Seguro said that civil protection services and local authorities were currently focused on protecting populations and safeguarding property, as well as restoring normal conditions as quickly as possible.
Meanwhile, telecommunications operator NOS confirmed that its teams were working on the ground to restore services disrupted by Storm Kristin as soon as conditions allow, particularly access to roads and the electricity supply.
“Given the disruptions caused by Storm Kristin, NOS teams are on the ground monitoring the evolution of each specific situation and working towards immediate normalisation as soon as conditions permit,” the company has stated to press.
In Coimbra, strong winds during the early hours of the morning destroyed several aircraft and a hangar belonging to a maintenance company at the Bissaya Barreto Municipal Aerodrome, causing damage estimated at over one million euros, according to aerodrome director António Ferreira.
“We are still assessing the damage, but very roughly, losses are most likely in the region of one million euros or more,” he said. Seven to nine aircraft sustained significant damage, some of which are beyond repair.
Ferreira also reported damage to the wind indicator system and the aeronautical meteorological station, while the most severe damage was to the hangar of maintenance company IAC – Indústrias Aeronáuticas de Coimbra, which lost its roof and entrance gate, damaging the aircraft housed inside.
Source: LUSA
