Firefighters from a dozen fire departments are being deployed today to the regions most affected by Storm Kristin.
“We have guaranteed about a dozen corporations that are being deployed to the Leiria region,” Elísio Pereira, from the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC), tells Lusa. “They will reinforce and help the most affected populations to try to restore normality as quickly as possible.”
According to Pereira, the fire departments are from less affected areas, areas closer to the epicenters, and also from the south of the country.
Regarding the flow rates of several rivers, which have been a cause for concern, Elísio Pereira said the situation is currently under control.
“At this time, we have no information regarding any changes compared to yesterday [Thursday]. The situations are under control and being monitored,” he said.
Regarding incidents recorded during the night, Pereira confirmed “it was a very calm night”.
“Between midnight and 7am, 22 incidents related to weather conditions were recorded, none of which were serious. At this moment, the objective is to try to restore normality as quickly as possible and help the population,” he stressed.
On Thursday, between 00:00 and midnight, mainland Portugal registered 2,050 incidents related to the bad weather – with Coimbra, Oeste and Leiria being the most affected regions.
Meantime, the State of Calamity declared yesterday by the government for the 60 municipalities deemed most affected is scheduled to come to an end on Sunday, February 1.
The trail of destruction left by Storm Kristin is seeing the country appeal for European help – and this morning the European Commissioner for Energy Dan Jørgensen is visiting one of the municipalities badly affected, Marinha Grande (Leiria district), which yesterday reported another fatality due to Kristin.
As of early this morning, the number of households still without power was down to 294,000. Many who have seen power restored had to endure almost 48-hours without it.
Railway lines are still suspended in several places – the Northern, Douro, Beira Baixa, and Western lines, as well as the Coimbra Urban line and the Regional Service between Coimbra B and Entroncamento, due to fallen trees/ debris and other damages.
For people keen to help in the aftermath of this ‘weather bomb’, Gonçalo Lopes, mayor of Leiria has announced a “Clean Leiria” campaign to start tomorrow, that welcomes volunteers.
“After the state Leiria was left in, with many trees felled and roof tiles broken, a significant portion of the large trees have already been removed. However, it is necessary to create conditions so that our city can return to being a clean city as quickly as possible,” the mayor tells Lusa.
The volunteer action will start at 10am, next to the Municipal Stadium, “with the aim of cleaning the stadium, cleaning the Polis route, and some areas of the city center.”
Beyond the human and solidarity dimension, the “Clean Leiria” campaign aims to create “a fundamental union for the coming months,” in which the municipality will need “the people of Leiria and the Portuguese people” to rebuild the city, the mayor stated.
“This is one of the first volunteer initiatives we are launching, as we have received many requests from people wanting to help us,” he said – requesting that volunteers to bring gloves, shovels, brooms, and other tools, because the municipality does not have the capacity to supply them in sufficient quantity.
“The first step is in the morning. We will also have the ability to involve the Scouts, and the União de Leiria supporters themselves who are concerned about the stadium,” the mayor added, explaining that the initiative will be repeated and extended “to the parishes as well” – asking parish councils to carry out the same kind of volunteer activity.
Source: LUSA
