Latest news and stories about emergency preparedness in Portugal for expats and residents.
Coimbra authorities will begin preparing measures to prevent a potential evacuation after water releases at the Aguieira dam, the mayor told Lusa. Officials will closely monitor river levels and conditions to assess whether evacuation of people and animals becomes necessary and to coordinate public-safety and emergency-response actions if flood risk increases.
It was exactly one year ago that the country went completely dark: a total blackout on the Iberian Peninsula left tens of millions of people without electricity and, for many of them, in a panic.
The government will proceed with the creation of a strategic reserve of medicines and is counting on the private sector to ensure there is enough food to distribute in the event of a catastrophe. Montenegro said this was a topic discussed with the President of the Republic.
In an emergency, knowing how to turn a tuna can into a fire source, build a raincoat from a bin bag and cook meat to be preserved in jars can make all the difference.
The concept was recently presented and requires the preparation of the entire civil society based on infrastructure, support, learning, and training to cope with disruptions in food distribution. After the blackout and the storms, how can we prepare regions by anticipating a crisis?
One year after the blackout, Deco recommends creating an emergency kit to ensure autonomy for at least three days and to strengthen family safety in crisis situations.
Authorities are asking the population to keep a set of essential products at home as part of a strategy to adapt to the unstable international context and the risk of natural disasters due to climate change.
The course was designed for those who live, work, or travel in rural areas, as well as for anyone spending their summer holidays in the interior of the country.
António José Seguro warns that the clearing of forest paths and firebreaks is behind schedule. The Head of State wants generators in critical infrastructure such as hospitals.
Following the low-pressure systems Kristin, Leonardo and Marta — which killed 19 people —, the minister admits that strengthening infrastructure requires a “balance” and knowledge, not easy solutions.
The webpage provides real-time updates on recent earthquakes in Portugal, including recent seismic activity and historical data. It emphasizes monitoring seismic events to inform the public about potential risks. The site offers multilingual access and additional resources for earthquake news and contact information. Overall, it serves as a comprehensive source for current earthquake activity in Portugal.
More and more banking institutions are advising the public to keep cash at home for emergency situations. Following recommendations from the Banco de Portugal and the European Central Bank, it is now the turn of the Swedish Central Bank to issue the same advice. Natália Nunes, an expert from DECO, specifies the amount we should keep at home and the safest way to store it.
The article discusses recent widespread power outages in Spain and Portugal, which have caused significant disruptions such as closed stores and hospitals operating on emergency power. These incidents have raised concerns in the Netherlands about the vulnerability of its own power grid. Experts warn that, although a total blackout is considered unlikely, the consequences of a major power failure could be severe, prompting authorities to prepare detailed emergency response plans. The article highlights the ongoing risks and the importance of readiness, while also humorously suggesting that such a crisis might lead to a digital detox.
Portugal and Spain argue that the coordination between the platforms will contribute “to strengthening the preventive and preparedness pillar, particularly in the case of shared risks.”
Home News How to prepare your 72-hour emergency kit How to prepare your 72-hour emergency kit As extreme weather conditions in Portugal become more frequent, authorities are encouraging families to prepare for emergencies.
Some medications typically stored in refrigerators, such as insulin, may lose their effectiveness.
Residents of Formoselha, in the municipality of Montemor-o-Velho in the Coimbra district, are worried about the risk of flooding in the Baixo Mondego, even though they say such events are already commonplace.
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.
In other countries we see families boarding up windows or hiding in homemade bunkers before hurricanes, but in Portugal are we really aware of how we can protect ourselves? Editorial by Sónia Sapage
Duarte Costa warns that, although there is no highest-level weather warning, saturated soils and river basins could cause severe damage in the coming days. The climate-change expert calls for impact-based communication and immediate preventive measures, after the Portuguese Institute for the Sea and Atmosphere (Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera, IPMA) warned of a “devastating” scenario if the rain persists.
João Adrião argues that the country's response must evolve in the face of increased exposure to risk and greater dependence on critical infrastructure. The CNN Portugal guest emphasises that phenomena of this magnitude are not unprecedented, but require more prevention, adaptation and seriousness in the debate on climate change.
The minister expressed deep concern for the Mondego, Douro, Águeda and Tagus regions.
As of 07:00, Coimbra is preparing for a potential evacuation.
Explosive cyclogenesis. Fire tornadoes. Bomb cyclones. Mega-wildfires. Cities destroyed. Floods. People killed. The climate crisis is a war against humanity — a war with no ceasefire. Over the past few months in Portugal we have seen a succession of hellish fires and extratropical cyclones that are devastating several regions of the country, particularly the central region. It really is a war, because it was deliberately provoked and those who launched these ‘bombs’ plan to continue launching them.
Over the weekend, reservoirs will be prepared to make room for incoming water, taking into account the predicted rainfall peaks in the days ahead.
CNN Portugal commentator Rui Moreira recalls the Valencia tragedy to say that the Portuguese “no longer take things very seriously” when it comes to disaster prevention.
Do you remember Hurricane Leslie in 2018? And Xola in 2009? We look back to place the storm that devastated Leiria on a short, grim list.
José Carlos Ferreira, an environmental specialist, believes that the low-pressure system Kristin has once again shown that Portugal is not prepared to cope with extreme weather events.
The Centro region was the most affected by the depression, which entered the country in the Leiria area and then progressed inland.
The area at greatest risk will be the Coimbra district, extending north to Aveiro and south to Leiria.
