Weather conditions leave Porto under orange alert

After a weather-free weekend, bad weather will return to continental Portugal

From this Monday, Civil Protection predicts a worsening of weather conditions, with strong wind and rain, which may again cause urban flooding.

The Portuguese Institute of Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) issued a yellow warning for several Portuguese districts, including Porto, which, however, saw the alert aggravated to orange. The warning of heavy rainfall for the district, as well as for Braga and Viana do Castelo, in force from 21:00 this Monday until 06:00 on Tuesday, December 20.

The orange warning, remember, is, according to the Guide to the use of weather warnings of IPMA, corresponding to a weather situation of moderate to high risk.

"Rainfall will be intense, the Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere has issued both yellow warnings and orange warnings (...) Therefore, it is expected that some quantities similar to those of last week may occur," warned André Fernandes, national commander of Civil Protection.

Given the state of the weather, the Civil Protection of Porto issued a statement which recommends to the population to take the necessary preventive measures and protection and the adoption of appropriate behavior to minimize the existing risk, including:

• Defensive driving, reducing speed and taking special care with the possible formation of water tables on the roads or with reduced visibility and not crossing flooded areas, in order to prevent people or vehicles from being dragged into holes in the sidewalk or open sewage boxes;

• Unblocking rainwater drainage systems, such as storm drains, gutters and downspouts, and removing aggregates and other objects that can be dragged away or create obstacles to the free flow of water;

• Respect for the safety perimeters established along the coastline and access to the piers, namely Avenida D. Carlos I, Avenida do Brasil and Avenida de Montevideu or others that may need to be implemented;

• Special attention when circulating, staying and parking near wooded areas, due to the possibility of branches or trees falling, because of the strong wind and the saturation of the soil;

• Attention to information from the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere and indications from the Civil Protection and Security Forces.

In case of emergency situations, the entity asks citizens to contact 112 or the Porto Fire Brigade Regiment through the number 225 073 700.