At least one person was killed, including a Spaniard, a Portuguese national, and a British national, and 28 others were injured, the roof of a restaurant fell off and a campsite in Albufeira was damaged as a result of an extreme wind event in southern Portugal this Saturday.
Two of the injured were in serious condition, Vitor Vaz Pinto, Algarve regional commander of the National Agency for Emergencies and Civil Protection (ANEPC), confirmed in a press conference.
Vaz Pinto also reported that the ages of the injured ranged from 6 to 85 years. He died at a campsite in Albufeira.
Portugal’s President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said this morning in Albufeira, through a note posted on the website of the presidential palace, that he regretted standing in solidarity with the relatives of the deceased as a result of Claudia’s course of depression. Similarly, he wished “the speedy recovery of our injured citizens.”
Two other people died on Thursday when their home was flooded by rain in the Seixal area of metropolitan Lisbon.
On Thursday, flooding occurred in the municipalities of Abrantes, Salvaterra de Magos, Seixal and Pombal, forcing 32 people to evacuate their homes.
Since Wednesday, ANEPC has recorded 3,363 incidents related to weather conditions, including flooding, fallen trees and structures, and landslides.
The storm is expected to continue through the weekend and into at least early Monday morning.
Storm Claudia also causes heavy rain and flooding in UK and Ireland
Storm Claudia dumped heavy rain this Saturday, causing severe flooding as it passed through the UK, particularly across England and southern Wales, and parts of Ireland.
Environment England (EA) said in a statement just before midday on Saturday that more than 200 flood warnings and warnings were in place.
The Environment Agency also reported that approximately 20 homes have so far been flooded by Storm Claudia, including parts of the Cumbria region (northwest England), which had previously been hit by rain flooding, but that intervention by EA staff meant that around 12,000 homes had been saved with temporary protection.
Joe Cuthbertson, the EA’s flood response manager, said in a memo: “We deeply regret the flood damage of recent days. While only a small number of homes have been affected, the situation remains devastating for those affected.”
One of the worst-hit areas from Storm Claudia is Wales, where a “major incident” has been declared in the Monmouth area in the south, with the local government asking residents to clear roads and avoid any movement to assist emergency services.
Laura Anne Jones, member of the right-wing populist Reform UK Party in the Welsh Parliament, added to social networks
He encouraged the public to donate money for “those who did not have time to collect their belongings.”
Footage broadcast across British media and social networks showed cars, homes and businesses completely submerged under water, and troops crossing roads to rescue people stranded by floodwaters.
According to data released by the Met Office on Saturday, a rain gauge at Tafarog in Gwent, Wales, recorded a cumulative rainfall of 119.6 millimeters (mm) between Thursday afternoon and early Saturday morning, while another at Thackley (in central England) recorded 80.6 mm over the same period.
The storm also caused havoc in Ireland, mainly in County Wexford in the south-east of the island, with more than 3,000 people losing power as rain flooded properties and homes.
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