Authorities in Portugal took proactive measures to mitigate the impact of Atlantic storm Charles after criticism following the destructive storm Kristin in January. Over 300 flights were cancelled, schools nationwide closed, and businesses shut down ahead of the storm's arrival. Four international airports, hundreds of supermarkets, and non-essential public services halted operations on Wednesday. For the first time in living memory, about 8,000 schools suspended classes due to a significant Atlantic storm forecast. The government urged people to stay at home out of fear of severe damage. Wind gusts of over 120km/h (75mph) were recorded by the national weather agency, IPMA. Some streets in Lisbon flooded due to clogged drains, while a national supermarket chain closed its stores and the Web Summit technology conference in Lisbon cancelled events. By mid-afternoon, only the southern Algarve region remained on red alert. Storm Charles had struck the Portuguese island of Madeira with 130km/h (81mph) winds on Tuesday. In January, the government faced criticism for its weak response to Storm Kristin, which caused widespread property damage in central Portugal. In February, a man died in the southern region of Alentejo after flooding swept his vehicle off a street following Storm Leonardo. The crisis unit, chaired by Prime Minister Luis Montenegro, monitored the storm, while Interior Minister Luis Neves dismissed suggestions that authorities overreacted, stating they organized their response according to weather forecasts.
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Preparations were underway in Portugal as authorities sought to minimize the impact of Atlantic storm Charles, following criticism for their response to the destructive storm Kristin in January. Over 300 flights were cancelled, schools and businesses shut down ahead of the storm's arrival, and four international airports, hundreds of supermarkets, and non-essential public services ceased operations on Wednesday. For the first time in living memory, about 8,000 schools suspended classes due to a significant Atlantic storm forecast. The government urged people to stay at home out of fear of severe damage, and some streets in Lisbon flooded due to clogged drains. A national supermarket chain closed its stores, while the Web Summit technology conference in Lisbon cancelled events. By mid-afternoon, only the southern Algarve region remained on red alert. Storm Charles had struck the Portuguese island of Madeira with 130km/h (81mph) winds on Tuesday. In January, the government faced criticism for their weak response to Storm Kristin, which caused widespread property damage in central Portugal. In February, a man died in the southern region of Alentejo after flooding swept his vehicle off a street following Storm Leonardo. The crisis unit, chaired by Prime Minister Luis Montenegro, monitored the storm, while Interior Minister Luis Neves dismissed suggestions that authorities overreacted, stating they organized their response according to weather forecasts.
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Portuguese authorities took preemptive measures to minimize the impact of Atlantic storm Charles after facing criticism for their handling of January's destructive storm Kristin. Over 300 flights were cancelled, schools and businesses shut down ahead of the storm's arrival, and four international airports, hundreds of supermarkets, and non-essential public services ceased operations on Wednesday. For the first time in living memory, about 8,000 schools suspended classes due to a significant Atlantic storm forecast. The government urged people to stay at home out of fear of severe damage, and some streets in Lisbon flooded due to clogged drains. A national supermarket chain closed its stores, while the Web Summit technology conference in Lisbon cancelled events. By mid-afternoon, only the southern Algarve region remained on red alert. Storm Charles had struck the Portuguese island of Madeira with 130km/h (81mph) winds on Tuesday. In January, the government faced criticism for their weak response to Storm Kristin, which caused widespread property damage in central Portugal. In February, a man died in the southern region of Alentejo after flooding swept his vehicle off a street following Storm Leonardo. The crisis unit, chaired by Prime Minister Luis Montenegro, monitored the storm, while Interior Minister Luis Neves dismissed suggestions that authorities overreacted, stating they organized their response according to weather forecasts.