Natural disasters news in Portugal

Only 25% of properties and infrastructure are insured against natural disasters

Portuguese people are among the most skeptical in the EU regarding the country's preparedness for natural disasters

Of the Portuguese respondents, 28% consider that national authorities are 'quite well prepared', below the European average (40%)

Portuguese among those most doubtful of the country's preparedness for natural disasters in the EU

According to the report, 66% of Portuguese people believe that national authorities are not well prepared to deal with such occurrences, the fourth highest rate in the entire European Union (EU).

Fire and floods are usually treated as separate hazards. Portugal’s Pinhal Interior shows why they are part of the same cycle

The Conversation7 Sept

What if it happened in Portugal?

The earthquake in Venezuela should serve as a lesson. We are not free from such a tragedy, we just do not know when it might happen.

INE: Catastrophes caused more deaths and missing persons in Portugal in the last decade

Statistics Portugal (INE) reports that natural disasters and catastrophes have resulted in a higher number of fatalities and missing persons over the past ten years.

Renascença5 Jun

Catastrophes caused more deaths and missing persons in Portugal in the last decade - INE

According to the National Statistics Institute (INE), natural and man-made disasters have resulted in a higher number of fatalities and missing persons in Portugal over the past ten years.

The earthquake in São Jorge and the eruption that almost happened

The Azorean islands are always moving, sometimes shaking, as happened a few days ago in São Jorge, and other times seeing lava reach the surface, as almost occurred 4 years ago on the same island.

PTRR. Measures contribute to a "safer society"

The Portuguese Association of Insurers considers the measures against natural disasters to be positive. President José Galamba de Oliveira hopes they will move forward by the end of this year.

Azores population felt 148 earthquakes out of more than 20,000 recorded in the region in 2025

Most of the localisable seismic activity was centred on the Santa Bárbara volcano on Terceira Island, south of São Miguel Island, and in the area of the Pico Alto and Guilherme Moniz volcanoes on Terceira Island.

European authorities advocate for a common insurance for natural disaster risks in the EU

The European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) and the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) propose the creation of a European insurance fund against natural disasters, supported by a complementary instrument based on loans.

European authorities advocate for a common insurance for natural disaster risks in the EU

The insurance would be supported by a complementary instrument based on loans.

Decentralisation

The terrible circumstances faced by the country in recent weeks have sparked a debate about decentralisation and regionalisation. This always happens when dealing with disasters that affect populations, such as the fires of 2017. Regardless of the area particularly affected by natural disasters, the same complaints abound: the populations were forgotten, firefighters took too long to arrive, Civil Protection ignored them, the coordination of rescue efforts was a fiasco, the military went elsewhere, and if it had been in Lisbon, everything would have been resolved! These outbursts, usually in front of television cameras, almost always elicit the same reactions: 'poor things' - the victims; 'rascals' - the politicians; let's send trucks with essential goods - the well-meaning supporters; we throw a budget with many zeros at them (always less than necessary) - the government. The few serious attempts to discuss the root of the problems fade into oblivion, and months later, everything is practically the same. Until the next tragedy. I have long believed that the difficulty of Public Administration in facing natural disasters results - besides the severity of the disasters, of course - from our inability to rationally think about territorial administrative organisation. First of all, it is important to clarify that the problem of decentralisation is not a legal issue. To solve it, economists, geographers, and historians are needed more than lawyers. There is an intimate relationship between the distribution of public functions and tasks and the territorial and human dimension. Among the more than 3000 parishes, there is one with fewer than a hundred inhabitants and several with more than sixty thousand. Of the 308 municipalities, one has more than half a million inhabitants, while others have fewer than two thousand. More than 250 municipalities have fewer inhabitants than the most populous parish (2021 Census data). It should be noted that all of mainland Portugal is divided into municipalities and parishes, constituting two overlapping networks. To my knowledge, this duplication does not exist in any other European country. The number of territorial public entities has a consequence: while Lisbon and Porto have the human dimension and financial resources to support a university, if they wish, most other municipalities would hardly have secondary schools without state support. Naturally, the ultimate reason for this difference lies in the increasingly unequal distribution of the population across the mainland territory, an aspect that cannot be ignored when implementing a truly decentralising policy. Highways with 'ghost' sections and the unfortunate and abandoned stadiums in the Algarve, Leiria, and Aveiro are there to certify the death of a pseudo-decentralising strategy. I will continue next week to discuss decentralisation further.

Bombs in the atmosphere, war on Earth

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.

Portugal has not yet requested activation of the European Civil Protection Mechanism, but has turned to the Copernicus satellite to assess the extent of the damage

In addition to the European mechanism, the European Commission says Portugal can also turn to the EU Solidarity Fund, which aims to help Member States repair damage caused by natural disasters

Only 20% of catastrophe losses in Africa in 2025 were covered by insurance

Natural disasters caused worldwide damage of $224 billion (€192 billion), 39% less than the previous year, by 'pure luck', says a report released on Tuesday by the German reinsurer Munich Re. In Africa, 'they resulted in losses of approximately $3 billion (€2.5 billion), ...

Economic impact of natural disasters eases in 2025, but risks persist

Global economic losses from natural disasters fell last year, but the effects of extreme events continue to cause major concern, warns German insurer Munich Re — one of the world's largest.

Costs of natural disasters fall in 2025 but remain alarming

In 2025 total economic and insured losses from natural disasters declined compared with previous years, helped by fewer major events and improved preparedness. Despite the drop, overall damage levels remain worryingly high, with climate change, urbanisation and vulnerable infrastructure keeping long‑term costs elevated. Experts and insurers call for stronger mitigation, adaptation and financing measures.

Natural disaster costs fall in 2025 but remain alarming

Economic losses from natural disasters worldwide fell by nearly 40% in 2025, but the global outlook for extreme weather events remains alarming, Munich Re said today.

Costs of natural disasters fall in 2025 but remain alarming

Economic losses from natural catastrophes worldwide fell by almost 40% in 2025, but the global outlook for extreme weather events remains alarming, Munich Re said today.

What does the insurance sector anticipate for 2026?

Current geopolitical and economic instability, along with the increase in frequency and severity of natural disasters, will dictate the insurance sector's next steps. Add to that technological evolution and the constant need to implement these tools in the sector's operations, and you have a picture of an industry undergoing profound transformation. Consumer expectations ...

OECD recommends mandatory earthquake insurance for all buildings

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) recommends that Portugal establish a formal public–private risk-sharing mechanism, making insurance against natural disasters mandatory for all buildings. The Government, for its part, acknowledges the “clear market failure” and says it is working on “mechanisms” aimed at achieving widespread adoption ...