Portugal urged to adapt to climate emergency after series of deadly storms

"Portugal is under pressure to draw up plans to adapt to the climate emergency as the country continues to be lashed by an unprecedented series of storms that have killed at least 16 people and left tens of thousands without electricity. More than 3,000 people were evacuated from the Coimbra area of central Portugal on Wednesday as the Mondego River reached critical levels, while part of the country's main motorway, the A1, collapsed after a dyke on the Mondego gave way under the weight of flood water."

"Hundreds more people have been displaced across the country since what scientists have called the longest train of storms within living memory began at the end of January. The extreme weather, which has affected central and southern parts of the country, has cut off power to 39,000 people and caused an estimated 775m (675m) of damage. The extreme weather has caused the deaths of at least 16 people and destroyed homes and businesses."

"We are not prepared for the present climate, much less for the future, said Pedro Matos Soares, an atmospheric physicist, during a video conference on climate held by the University of Lisbon's faculty of sciences this week. Portugal still handles land-use planning thinking about the 19th century or the first half of the 20th century climate. We have to understand what the climate is like now and what it will be like in the future. Otherwise, we're going to have a problem."

An unprecedented series of storms has killed at least 16 people, left tens of thousands without electricity, and displaced hundreds across central and southern Portugal. More than 3,000 people were evacuated near Coimbra as the Mondego River reached critical levels and a dyke failure caused part of the A1 motorway to collapse. Power cuts affected 39,000 people and damage is estimated at 775m (675m). The storms began at the end of January and have been described by scientists as the longest train of storms within living memory. The interior minister resigned amid criticism, and experts say land-use planning and adaptation measures are outdated and urgently needed.

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