“`html
At least five fatalities have been confirmed after Storm Kristin swept through central and northern Portugal, triggering widespread flooding, landslides, and extensive damage.
The storm, characterized by the government as an “extreme climactic event,” resulted in school closures, structural damage to buildings, and significant disruptions to transportation networks.
In the coastal city of Figueira da Foz, a Ferris wheel was overturned, and several vehicles sustained damage when a portion of a building’s roof was dislodged.
Portugal has experienced a series of severe storms in recent days, including an earlier incident over the weekend where a man perished after his vehicle was swept away by floodwaters.
Civil protection authorities reported that heavy rainfall and wind gusts reaching up to 150km (95 miles) per hour led to over 3,000 weather-related incidents nationwide. Multiple individuals were injured by falling trees and debris.
The most intense winds were recorded at the Monte Real air base in Leiria, where gusts of 178km were documented before monitoring equipment was compromised. Officials have identified this location as the likely point of entry for the storm into mainland Portugal.
Electricity distributor E-Redes reported that more than 850,000 customers experienced power outages on Wednesday.
The civil protection agency (ANEPC) has confirmed that three deaths occurred in the central district of Leiria, one of the regions most severely impacted by the storm.
In Leiria, one individual was struck by a metal sheet, while another was trapped within the structure of a house, according to official reports. Local media outlets reported that a man in Vila Franca de Xira died when a tree fell on his car.
Authorities also reported a fatality in the Marinha Grande area.
Transport networks across Portugal have been severely affected, with roads, including the primary motorway connecting Lisbon to the north, and railways rendered impassable due to debris.
On Wednesday, ten coastal regions were placed under a red weather warning due to perilous sea conditions, with wave heights projected to reach up to 14m (45ft, 11in), according to the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA).
The PSP (Public Security Police) urged residents in Coimbra and Leiria to remain indoors, while Portugal’s Secretary of State for Civil Protection affirmed that the country remains on maximum alert.
Prime Minister Luis Montenegro conveyed his condolences to the families of the victims. He stated that authorities are assessing the extent of the damage and will implement “whatever measures are necessary.”
Meanwhile, Leiria’s mayor, Goncalo Lopes, has called on the government to declare a state of emergency.
“We have public spaces turned upside down,” he told reporters. “It’s something that will require a very large recovery effort in the coming months. The impact is similar to what a bomb could mean in our city, with massive destruction.”
After traversing Portugal, Storm Kristin has moved eastward into Spain, bringing with it snow, rain, and strong winds.
Flooding in Aston, near Stone, Staffordshire, is particularly bad this winter according to locals.
The Environment Agency says river levels will remain high until Friday.
The couple say they could not get out by themselves because the water was so deep outside their house.
Taunton Rugby Club says local people have rallied to help after damage caused by Storm Chandra.
The video shows Bao Li and Qing Bao tumbling, climbing trees and running through the snow that fell across wide swaths of the US.
“`