Before the new warning from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Portuguese authorities announced the closure of schools and non-essential public services in the context of Storm Charles, after several districts, including Lisbon, were placed under a red alert. Gusts of up to 140 km/h were forecast, especially in coastal areas, along with heavy rain and a risk of flooding, while the Interior Minister recommended that people stay at home and work remotely if possible, avoiding the coastline.
According to the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere, the first effects of Depression Charles were expected on Wednesday, while Madeira Island was due to be affected as early as Tuesday. Authorities also warned of the risk of trees and some structures collapsing, as well as power and telecommunications outages.
The decision comes amid increasingly extreme weather: between January 22 and February 15, Portugal was hit by seven successive storms, which caused floods, landslides, and seven confirmed deaths.
