Algarve hit by bad weather this morning
This Tuesday morning’s wild weather caused multiple incidents across the Algarve, ranging from a waterspout off the coast of Lagos to a “mini tornado” in São Bartolomeu de Messines (Silves), and downtown flooding in Faro.
The waterspout was spotted shortly before 9am from Lagos’ Porto de Mós beach, with several people sharing videos and photos on social media of the relatively rare phenomenon. Waterspouts are rotating columns of air and water that form over bodies of water, such as oceans, lakes, or rivers. They resemble tornadoes over water but are generally less intense.
Further east, a 72-year-old man was injured when a lamppost fell on a garage in São Bartolomeu de Messines, caused by what was described as an “extreme wind phenomenon,” similar to a tornadic event. The man was assisted by firefighters and taken to Albufeira’s basic emergency unit. Several trees were also uprooted by the strong winds, though no further injuries were reported.
A more expected consequence of the weather was the usual flooding in parts of downtown Faro, particularly affecting the Rua de São Luís. This area is especially prone to flooding, having suffered around €2 million in damages from floods in 2022 alone.
michael.bruxo@portugalresident.com
