According to a source from the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC), the passage of Storm Kristin through mainland Portugal had a “major impact,” especially in the western region and in the districts of Leiria and Coimbra, with power and telephone communication outages and many roads blocked by fallen trees and structures.
Some fire departments also saw their stations affected, as was the case with those in Pombal, Pedrógão, Leiria, and Penela (Coimbra).
The same source said that, although in meteorological terms the worst is over, “it will take many hours to restore normality.”
Mainland Portugal is being affected by Storm Kristin, with rain, wind, snow, and rough seas, and several warnings have been issued by the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and the Atmosphere (IPMA).
Due to the bad weather, one person died in Vila Franca de Xira after a tree fell on the car they were in.
In Figueira da Foz, the Ferris wheel, an amusement park on the waterfront, collapsed during the early hours of today. As Storm Kristin passed through, part of the roof of the former International University also collapsed, hitting at least seven cars.
The bad weather also disrupted the power supply and, at 7 am, more than 850,000 E-Redes customers were without electricity, with Lisbon, Guarda, Coimbra, Castelo Branco, Portalegre, Leiria, Santarém and Setúbal being the most affected districts, according to a company source.
Rail traffic was also affected, with the suspension of long-distance service on the Northern Line between Porto and Lisbon, as well as on the Southern, Western and Sado Lines. The bad weather also affected the Fertagus connection between Lisbon and Setúbal via the 25 de Abril bridge.
The bad weather prevented schools from opening in several municipalities, including Pombal (Leiria), Coimbra, Montemor-o-Velho, Oliveira do Hospital, Miranda do Corvo (Coimbra district), and Torres Vedras (Lisbon).
The snowfall had also already forced the closure of schools in Izeda (Bragança), Alijó and Vila Pouca de Aguiar (Vila Real).
According to the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and the Atmosphere (IPMA), the effects of the Kristin depression are still being felt in the districts of Castelo Branco and Guarda, but the situation is expected to improve as the storm moves into Spain.
According to IPMA, the central area was the most affected by a depression that entered the country in the Leiria area and then progressed to the interior.