Latest news and stories about emergency services in Leiria, Leiria, Portugal for expats and residents.
Gonçalo Lopes says he refused the field kitchen and security for the generators because it “was no longer necessary”. The Mayor of Leiria responds to Nuno Melo's accusations by praising the military: they were “exemplary” and provided “decisive” help.
Gonçalo Lopes says he refused the field kitchen and security for the generators because it “was no longer necessary”. The Mayor of Leiria responds to Nuno Melo's accusations by praising the military: they were “exemplary” and provided “decisive” help.
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 Nuno's case, this meant rebuilding one of Leiria's main electrical arteries in record time.
Gonçalo Lopes responds to criticism from Defence Minister Nuno Melo, stating he wants “unity and resources to rebuild the municipality” and thanking the Armed Forces for their “exemplary work.”
The Mayor of Leiria, Gonçalo Lopes, refused to discuss phone calls on Friday, March 13, while parts of the population are still without communications due to the severe weather. This follows claims by Defence Minister Nuno Melo that the mayor failed to respond to his attempts to offer assistance after the storm Kristin. The municipality of Leiria stated that all aid was coordinated through a command post and that certain military resources were declined only because they were deemed unnecessary or already covered by existing local emergency operations.
Gonçalo Lopes stated that, since January 28, the municipality has set up a “gigantic operation,” explaining that “all aid that arrived” was integrated into the 700-person response team.
The Mayor of Leiria, Gonçalo Lopes, refuses to discuss phone calls with the Minister of Defence and highlights the municipality's coordination with the Armed Forces and other entities during the passage of storms Kristin, Leonardo, and Marta, ensuring support for the affected population.
The man has been missing since the early hours of the morning.
The Minister considers it a 'non-issue' that the immediate readiness level was only activated a week after Storm Kristin: 'The readiness level of the Armed Forces was at its maximum from the first day.'
The Minister of Defence stated this Thursday, March 12, that he contacted the mayor of Leiria as soon as he arrived in Portugal on January 29 and received no response, lamenting that the mayor decided to belittle those who helped him. Nuno Melo was speaking during a hearing at the Assembly of the Republic, following questions from CDS-PP MP João Almeida regarding whether he had contacted the mayor of Leiria, Gonçalo Lopes (PS), who had complained about the lack of military personnel on the ground during the storms that hit the country between late January and early February. The minister refuted claims of delays, stating that the Armed Forces' readiness was at its maximum from the first day.
The warehouse is located in the building's basement.
The warehouse is located in the building's basement.
The Reerguer Leiria office, created by the Municipality to provide information and guidance to citizens, businesses, and institutions affected by storm Kristin, has already handled 3,450 consultations since its opening on February 10th.
Although the support fund for victims of Storm Kristin has already closed, “donations continue to arrive spontaneously,” states the director of the Diocesan Caritas of Leiria-Fátima.
Gonçalo Lopes, the mayor of Leiria, discussed the extensive damage caused by Storm Kristin in a recent interview with CNN Portugal, highlighting the municipality's emergency response and recovery efforts over the past ten days.
João Guarda, a resident of Leiria, is facing severe flooding for the second time this week. He has resorted to using a log in an attempt to manage the rising water levels around his home, highlighting the ongoing challenges posed by extreme weather conditions in the area.
A resident reports being without electricity, using candles for light, and the only thing he has is “a battery-powered radio to listen to the news.”
The rising waters of the Lena River in Ponte das Mestras, Leiria, are flooding garages and endangering new residential areas. CNN Portugal reporter Pedro Ramos Bichardo speaks to residents who are trying to contain the water with sand barriers, while Civil Protection monitors the flow's evolution.
From Ponte das Mestras, Leiria, journalist Pedro Ramos Bichardo reports on the damage caused by the rain in recent hours.
Air Base No. 5 in Monte Real has already received around 300 people for showers, and 120 meals have been served. The Air Force is supporting the affected population and turnout has been increasing.
Delfim, 74, told CMTV that he thought he was going to be left homeless on the night the storm devastated the country.
The sum to 'attend to the most urgent situations' is expected to be increased.
Satellite images from April 2025, compared with those from January this year after the passage of Storm Kristin, show flooded farmland and residential areas.
A failure of the SIRESP emergency communications network in Leiria left the PSP without normal communications for about a day and a half, forcing improvised procedures and contingency measures. Authorities advised that, where travel was necessary, walking was preferable to driving but staying home if possible was best; the bulletin also warns of fraudulent technicians exploiting the outage and urges verification of any service personnel and vigilance for scams.
