Portugal has been hit by a severe wave of bad weather from Storm Charles, with immediate consequences for transport, education and economic activity. According to the official account, more than 200 flights have been canceled, while schools, hundreds of supermarkets and businesses have suspended operations in some parts of the country.
Mass closures and disruptions across several sectors
Portuguese authorities put broad precautionary measures in place, placing emergency services and military units on alert. Lessons in schools were suspended, non-essential public services were closed, and citizens were asked to remain at home.
Such measures also come against the backdrop of criticism the government had received over its response to the January and February storms, making the pressure on institutions to avoid being caught late again even more visible.
The storm proved weaker than initial forecasts
According to the Portuguese meteorological agency IPMA, the eye of the storm split into two parts over the Atlantic, reducing its intensity before it reached Algarve, in southern Portugal.
However, the danger was not considered over. According to official forecasts, the storm was expected to affect most of southern Portugal and the Lisbon area, bringing heavy rainfall, strong winds and high waves.
Hundreds of incidents, Madeira hit
Civil Protection chief Mario Silvestre said state structures were on high alert because of the risk of flash flooding and extreme weather. By midnight, authorities said, 538 incidents had been recorded.
Before reaching mainland territory, Charles hit the Madeira archipelago, where flooding and fallen trees were reported. Emergency services intervened to rescue a man who had been swept away by the water after his garage flooded. No fatalities have been reported.
Pressure shifts toward Spain
The severe weather has not been limited to Portugal alone. Portugal and Spain have faced intense rainfall for several days following the passage of Storm Bruna, which had brought flooding to some areas. In Lisbon, several road tunnels remained largely closed during the day as well.
The risk was now shifting toward southwestern Spain. The Spanish meteorological agency AEMET warned of potentially serious or very serious consequences from intense rainfall, strong winds and rough seas. In central Spain, meanwhile, the evacuation order remained in force in the Piedralaves area, where more than 3,000 residents had left their homes because of the risk of a local dam flooding.
The toll so far points to a major blow to daily life and infrastructure, even though the storm turned out to be less severe than initially forecast.
In such cases, the difference between necessary alarm and delayed reaction remains the real test for institutions, not only official readiness announcements.