Portugal overwhelmed by storm Kristin: 16 dead, thousands evacuated (and a minister resigns due to delays in relief efforts)

The toll from storm Kristin which has hit central Portugal since the beginning of February is very heavy: at least 16 victims, thousands of evacuees and entire communities still without electricity and water. Gusts over 200 km/h and torrential rain caused rivers to overflow and crucial infrastructure to collapse.

The provinces of Coimbra and Leiria are among the most affected. Here the water has invaded residential neighborhoods, overwhelmed bridges and put basins and reservoirs in crisis, now at the limit of their capacity. In Coimbra, over three thousand people have been evacuated in the last few hours, while motorways and railway lines remain closed or impassable for safety reasons.

The political crisis and the resignation of the minister

The emergency also had immediate repercussions on an institutional level. Interior Minister Maria Lucia Amaral resigned after criticism for her management of the public response. The protests came from both the opposition and residents of the most affected areas, who denounced delays and insufficient coordination.

The President of the Republic Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has accepted the resignation, entrusting the interim role to Prime Minister Luis Montenegro. Meanwhile, the decree on extraordinary aid remains unchanged, while Lisbon has also asked Brussels for support to deal with an emergency that risks having long-term economic consequences.

Damages in the billions and a new threat arriving

Initial estimates speak of over four billion euros in damages, a figure likely to grow. In addition to private homes, strategic factories and infrastructure vital to the country’s North-South connections were hit. In some areas, the levels of the Tagus and Mondego rivers have exceeded the height of bridges and embankments, making the situation still unstable.

As if that wasn’t enough, a new disturbance has hit Portugal: the Oriana depression is bringing further extreme rainfall, with quantities of rain that in just a few hours are equivalent to a significant share of the annual averages. A yellow alert has been issued for rain and wind in the already devastated areas and an orange alert along the coasts due to rough seas. Heavy snowfall is expected in mountain areas.

After almost two weeks of continuous emergency, the country remains in balance between relief management and reconstruction. The next few hours will be decisive to avoid new victims and contain a disaster that has already left Portugal exhausted, with entire communities still in the dark and a future to be rebuilt.

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