Storm Charles: schools closed on Wednesday in Portugal under red alert
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on L’essentiel
Schools and non-essential public services will be closed on Wednesday in Portugal, where eight districts including Lisbon are under red alert. According to the government, gusts of up to 140 km/h are expected, and the IPMA fears flooding and power cuts.
The Portuguese government announced on Tuesday the closure of schools and non-essential public services on Wednesday, with several regions placed under red alert over a storm that could bring gusts of 140 km/h, according to the government.
Eight districts in the centre and south of the country, including the capital Lisbon, are under red alert. Gusts could reach 100 to 120 km/h, or even 140 km/h on the coast, and heavy rain is expected, with a risk of urban flooding, according to the Portuguese Institute for the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA). Authorities fear falling trees and structures, as well as power and telecommunications outages. The first effects of Depression Charles are expected from late morning on Wednesday, while the island of Madeira, off the Moroccan coast, is expected to be hit as early as Tuesday evening.
Interior Minister Luis Neves asks Portuguese people to stay at home where possible, to prioritise remote working and to keep away from the coast, which is exposed to strong winds and heavy swell. He recalled the storms of last winter, which killed several people due to reckless behaviour. Between 22 January and 15 February, Portugal endured seven successive storms; civil protection has counted at least seven deaths, and some local media mention nearly twenty direct and indirect victims.
