Latest news and stories about severe weather in Leiria, Portugal for expats and residents.
Municipalities affected by recent severe weather have requested that the government extend economic and employment support measures for an additional 60 days. A formal request has been sent to the Minister of Finance to keep these protections in place until the end of June.
Insurance companies have paid out over 303 million euros in compensation for damages caused by severe storms that struck Portugal between January 27 and February 13. The Portuguese Association of Insurers (Associação Portuguesa de Seguradores or APS) estimates that total insurable losses could eventually exceed one billion euros. In Leiria alone, residents and businesses have filed nearly 37,000 claims for property damage.
The Portuguese Insurance Association (Associação Portuguesa de Seguradores) is the industry trade body that represents insurers in Portugal, collects sector data and speaks with government and the media after major events. On 14 February 2026 it reported more than 100,000 claims from recent bad weather (about half reported in the previous week); policyholders should contact their insurer promptly and check their cover and claims process.
The Intermunicipal Community of the Leiria Region (Comunidade Intermunicipal da Região de Leiria or CIMRL) says that promised government support for storm damage has yet to arrive. The region suffered significant destruction from storms Kristin, Leonardo, and Marta nearly two months ago, affecting infrastructure and drainage networks. Local leaders are calling for higher support rates and faster access to funds from the Recovery and Resilience Plan (Plano de Recuperação e Resiliência or PRR). Residents in the Leiria area should be aware of ongoing efforts to secure funding for local repairs.
The PRR (Plano de Recuperação e Resiliência) is Portugal's national program under the EU's NextGenerationEU recovery fund, worth approximately €22.2 billion — roughly €16.6 billion in grants plus €5.6 billion in loans. Approved in 2021, it funds reforms and investments across housing, digital transition, climate action, healthcare, and public administration.
Payments from the European Commission are tied to specific milestones and targets. Missed deadlines or incomplete reforms can delay disbursements, affecting public works, infrastructure projects, and social programs that depend on PRR funding.
The PRR is one of the largest investment programs in Portugal's recent history and touches areas from affordable housing construction to hospital modernization, school renovation, and green energy transition. Progress is monitored by the European Commission through regular reviews.
More than two weeks after Storm Kristin, parts of the Leiria region remain without power and recovery may take weeks or months, RTP reports. E-Redes and foreign teams, including technicians from Ireland, have been assisting local crews to restore supply; bad weather has slowed repairs in some areas. Residents still without electricity should follow municipal and E-Redes updates and plan for extended outages where repairs continue.
Update: Irish crews assisting; recovery may take months
RTP adds that recovery timelines remain long — potentially weeks or months — and that foreign technicians, including teams from Ireland who travelled long distances to help, continue to support E-Redes while bad weather hampers repairs.
E-Redes (formerly EDP Distribuição) is the company that operates Portugal's low- and medium-voltage electricity distribution network, serving over 99% of mainland Portugal. It is a subsidiary of EDP (Energias de Portugal), the country's largest energy utility.
E-Redes is responsible for maintaining power lines, substations, and transformers; connecting new customers and solar panels to the grid; reading meters; and restoring power after outages. It operates under a concession granted by the Portuguese government and is regulated by ERSE (Entidade Reguladora dos Serviços Energéticos).
During storms and extreme weather, E-Redes coordinates emergency repair crews to restore electricity supply. Residents can report outages and check restoration timelines through the E-Redes website or app. The company is also central to Portugal's energy transition, managing the integration of growing rooftop solar and electric vehicle charging into the distribution grid.
Storm Kristin was a named Atlantic storm that struck Portugal in late 2024, bringing heavy rainfall, strong winds (gusts exceeding 100 km/h in some areas), and significant coastal wave action. The storm caused widespread flooding, roof collapses, fallen trees, and power outages across several districts.
IPMA issued orange and red warnings for affected regions, and ANEPC activated emergency response plans. The impact was particularly severe in flood-prone areas of the Lisbon metropolitan area and the Tagus and Mondego river basins, where drainage systems were overwhelmed.
Storm Kristin highlighted recurring vulnerabilities in Portugal's infrastructure during extreme weather events — including urban drainage capacity, riverbank management, and the need for updated emergency response coordination. Residents in storm-affected areas were advised to follow civil protection guidance, avoid coastal zones and riverbanks, and report damage through municipal services.
CCDRC president Ribau Esteves denies claims of delays in post-Storm Kristin reconstruction efforts, citing a commitment to rigorous quality standards despite acknowledging resource constraints.
The Portuguese government has launched the Integrated Prevention and Operations Command (CIPO) in Leiria to proactively mitigate rural fire risks by clearing debris and improving access following storm damage, as officials warn of a challenging summer ahead.
The Portuguese government is implementing a new, resilient construction model for school reconstruction, designed to withstand cyclonic winds of up to 200 km/h, earthquakes, and fires, as part of a 1.55 billion euro investment plan.
Six weeks after Storm Kristin, students in Vieira de Leiria continue to face significant educational disruptions, with classes held in makeshift locations including containers and a former mortuary chapel due to ongoing infrastructure repairs.
Municipal leaders have pushed back against Minister Castro Almeida's accusations that local councils are responsible for delays in housing reconstruction support, arguing that the government failed to provide necessary resources and shifted the administrative burden onto them without consultation.
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.
Nine months after the storm, the municipality still records costs for waste collection, including asbestos — an expense not eligible for the Municipal Emergency Fund.
The funding is part of a €498 million package from the European Union (EU) Solidarity Fund, which also includes allocations for Spain, Italy, and Malta.
A total of 270 rural fires were recorded this year, resulting in 68 hectares of burned area (compared to 180 incidents in 2025, when 616 hectares were burned).
The service currently has 18 light generators and four medium generators, equipment that was donated by various entities and private individuals to the local authority during the critical period following storm Kristin.
According to Jorge Vala, who is also the mayor of Porto de Mós, the intention is, 'on behalf of the Intermunicipal Community and the mayors, to express gratitude to the Government, and the main objective is exactly that', to thank the executive for their support and presence following the low-pressure system Kristin.
The municipality was one of the most affected by the low-pressure system Kristin on January 28th of this year.
The region was one of the most affected by the low-pressure systems at the beginning of 2026. With 675 million euros in proposals in the PTRR, mayors also want to discuss the next State Budget.
In Leiria, this winter's storms tore solar panels off roofs like sheets of paper and left thousands of homes without electricity, water, and telecommunications. The low-pressure system Kristin, which hit the mainland at the end of January 2026 with gusts exceeding 200 km/h, was just the most visible face of the “train of storms” that...
This Monday marks eight months since Portugal was struck by Storm Kristin. Traces and visible effects remain in forests, on roads, and in schools and homes. In the Leiria region alone, 73 families are still displaced.
Seventy-three people remain displaced due to the severe weather that hit the country at the beginning of the year, revealed Paulo Fernandes, coordinator of the Mission Structure for the Reconstruction of the Central Region, this Wednesday. “At this moment, we have 73 people who we can classify under the displaced persons programme; we started with 300 people,” stated Paulo Fernandes, in a...
The president of the Association of Commerce, Industry, Services and Tourism of the Leiria Region (Acilis), Lino Ferreira, criticised today the response from insurance companies to those affected by the severe weather that hit the territory at the beginning of the year.
The Intermunicipal Community of the Leiria Region has requested that the Municipal Emergency Fund (FEM) cover 100% of eligible costs for repairing damage caused by storms earlier this year, arguing that the current 60% limit is insufficient and threatens the financial health of local authorities.
The Intermunicipal Community (CIM) of the Leiria region has requested that the Municipal Emergency Fund (FEM) co-financing be increased to 100% of eligible costs for repairs following storm damage earlier this year. The CIM of the Leiria region is asking parliamentary groups to take action within their...
The Intermunicipal Community (CIM) is requesting 100% coverage of eligible costs.
A memorial inaugurated today, represented by a root uprooted by storm Kristin which severely hit the Leiria region in January, aims to perpetuate the memory of this event and pay tribute to the professionals of the Local Health Unit (ULS).
The Kristin memorial was created from one of the large roots that emerged from the ground during the storm on 28 January, the Local Health Unit (ULS) announced.
Allianz Portugal has already responded to 95% of the 19,453 claims registered following Storm Kristin, which caused severe damage in the centre of the country in January. To mark the recovery work carried out in that region, the insurer will gather around 700 employees this Thursday at the José Lúcio da Silva Theatre in Leiria for the...
Jorge Vala warns about items not covered by the support, such as the removal of waste and woody material. An investment of over nine million euros in the region remains outside the framework.
The president of the Leiria Intermunicipal Community (CIM) has criticised the 60% maximum funding provided by the Municipal Emergency Fund for storm damage repairs, arguing it places an excessive financial burden on local authorities. Officials are calling for an increase to 85% or 100%, noting that significant costs, such as civil protection efforts and debris removal, are currently excluded from the support package. The storms, which occurred earlier this year, resulted in 19 deaths and over five billion euros in damages across Portugal.
The president of the Intermunicipal Community (CIM) of the Leiria Region stated this Tuesday that the maximum 60% support for municipalities regarding damage caused by storms at the beginning of the year, provided through the Municipal Emergency Fund, is 'manifestly insufficient'. He noted that while the Municipal Emergency Fund is essential, the 60% coverage is inadequate.
The goal is to “increase the response capacity of institutions in emergency situations,” highlights councilwoman Ana Valentim. The support to be granted covers 50% of the equipment's cost.
The fire was brought under control at 5:29 pm this Thursday. With Leiria under a yellow weather warning for hot weather until Saturday, nearly 200 personnel were mobilised to Picamilho.
Houses without roofs, floors lifting, walls peeling. Seven months after Storm Kristin, there is still much to be done.
