The bad weather seems to be relentless in Portugal, and the Douro River is beginning to show signs of its strength. Given this scenario, the Douro Flood Forecasting and Prevention Center (CPPC-D), of the Douro Port Authority, has changed the flood alert from orange to red.
As a result, navigation on the Douro River has been banned and specific restrictive measures from municipal intervention plans have been activated. Speaking to the Lusa news agency , quoted by SIC Notícias, the deputy commander of the Douro Port Authority, Pedro Cervaens, said:
We changed from orange to red, which means that we have moved to the probability of imminent flooding. It means that some areas that had not yet been affected by the water have begun to be affected in a different way, and it also allows other agents to take certain measures.
Douro ‘invades’ the banks of Gaia and Porto
According to the same source, on Friday, February 6, the Douro River overflowed onto the banks of Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia, and in some cases, the water even entered the terrace area, although without causing significant damage.
Prevention and self-protection measures
Following recent alerts from the CCPC-D, some recommendations were also issued to the population, with a view to adopting prevention and self-protection measures.
Quoted from the official website of the Porto City Council, these are some of the safety tips to consider, particularly for residents, merchants, and users of riverside areas:
- Avoid crossing flooded areas
- Respect the safety perimeters established or to be implemented by the authorities
- Safeguard food, valuables, documents, and other important items
- Do not remain or park vehicles in historically vulnerable locations
- Carefully follow the warnings and information issued by the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and the Atmosphere (IPMA), the Port Authority of the Douro, as well as the instructions of Civil Protection and Security Forces, among other measures.
Extended state of emergency
In another context, it is important to mention that the Portuguese Government has decided to extend the state of emergency until February 15, covering 68 municipalities, due to forecasts that point to continued bad weather in Portugal.
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