Latest news and stories about severe weather in infrastructure in Coimbra, Portugal for expats and residents.
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The faces of those who held the country together. During the month that devastated Portugal, some worked non-stop to restore normality to the country. In the case of Vitor Silva, this meant controlling the Mondego river throughout the night to try and prevent a centennial flood in Coimbra.
Coimbra City Council has accounted for approximately 15.2 million euros in repairs to municipal facilities affected by severe weather and has also highlighted the need for 29.1 million euros in investment for river regulation.
The city council also highlighted the need for dredging and regulation of the Mondego, Ceira, and Dueça rivers.
Coimbra City Council has calculated approximately 15.2 million euros in interventions for municipal facilities affected by bad weather and has also highlighted the need for 29.1 million euros in investment for river regulation. The council estimated a 15.2 million euro impact for repairs to equipment and infrastructure.
The Municipality of Soure has calculated 25 million euros in damages following the bad weather, its mayor told the Lusa agency, warning of the need to repair the road network.
Half of the damage is to roads and thoroughfares, including embankments, followed by approximately 11 million euros in municipal equipment.
The bad weather in January and February caused one million euros in damages in the municipality of Arganil, in the interior of the Coimbra district, the mayor told the Lusa agency today.
The population of Coimbra spent the night on edge, anticipating the worst. The mayor of Coimbra, Ana Abrunhosa, has urged residents in low-lying areas of the city to prepare for possible evacuations, given forecasts predicting a flood like never seen before.
The controlled discharge from the Aguieira Dam has raised the Mondego’s level and increased the likelihood of a centennial-level flood in central Coimbra. Several railway links and roads are already affected, with transport disruptions and infrastructure at risk. Local authorities and emergency services are monitoring the river closely, issuing advisories and managing responses; residents and travellers are advised to follow minute-by-minute updates as flood forecasts and dam releases evolve. The situation poses short-term travel, safety and logistical challenges and will require coordinated emergency and transport management if levels continue to rise.
The volume of water necessitated the evacuation of nearly three thousand people. The country's main motorway was closed after the dyke gave way to the force of the water. Evacuated residents are not expected to return home until Saturday, according to the mayor.
The settlement lies between the central channel of the Mondego River and the so-called abandoned riverbed. Water in the surrounding fields has risen by about one metre since Monday morning.
The strategy adopted has been one of preparation, “particularly for the peaks expected on Thursday”.
Maria da Graça Carvalho said that 'everything is ready to evacuate people' from areas that may be affected by floods, such as the Coimbra region. She also reiterated that coordination with Spain is 'perfect'.
In addition to the A14 closure, the old National Road (EN) 111 has also been closed to traffic for several days.
José Pimenta Machado, president of the APA, explains what the biggest concerns are at this time as new storms approach.
Municipal authorities in Soure warn of around three hours of flooding and ask residents to ensure they have additional supplies of drinking water and food.
A crane fell onto five buildings, forcing residents to be evacuated and three people to be re-housed in Figueira da Foz on Monday. The passage of Storm Kristin across mainland Portugal on Wednesday caused at least five deaths, according to Civil Protection, and left several people injured and displaced.
Authorities feared in the early hours of today that the Ceira River, a tributary of the Mondego, would flood the locality of Cabouco on the outskirts of Coimbra, but the worst predictions did not materialise.
The municipality is still assessing the damage from Depression Kristin, felt mainly in fallen trees and on the road network.
The municipality of Penacova registered power cuts today in some villages due to the wind, while it is still assessing the damage from Storm Kristin, felt mainly in fallen trees and on the road network.
From Montemor-o-Velho, journalist João Bizarro provides an update on the River Mondego following the heavy rain over the past few hours.
Heavy rain over the past few hours has caused several floods and inundated homes in Soure, in the district of Coimbra. Commander João Paulo Contente provides an update on the situation.
After destructive 208 km/h winds from Storm Kristin, the municipality of Soure faces a second crisis: imminent flooding. Authorities and residents are preparing for rapid inundation, with low-lying areas such as Miragaia in Porto — including the Ribeira — identified as first at risk; local voices say preventing severe damage will require extraordinary measures. The situation highlights compounded hazards for infrastructure and public safety, testing emergency services' capacity and the need for immediate, coordinated flood mitigation and evacuation planning.
Juliana and her husband take turns sleeping and keep the window open even when it rains so they do not miss an evacuation order. Tiago is worried about his grandparents, who will have to sleep in a motorhome. António is in a 'difficult dilemma': 'Here we have the floods; we flee to the hills and the fires and storms come, and there we are not safe either.'
