Chaos in Portugal Today! Giant Storm Krtistine Destroying Homes, Cars in Coimbra

Описание: Mainland Portugal is grappling with the aftermath of Storm Kristin, an "extreme climatic event" that barrelled through the country on Wednesday, January 28, leaving a trail of death, destroyed infrastructure, and nearly a million residents without power. As of Thursday evening, authorities have confirmed at least six fatalities linked directly to the storm's destructive force. The hardest-hit region, where four deaths were reported. Victims included individuals struck by flying metal sheets, a man trapped in a collapsing house structure, and a 34-year-old found in cardiac arrest at a construction site. One person was killed when a tree fell onto their car on the outskirts of Lisbon. One fatality was reported in the southern region as the storm moved across the country. At the height of the storm, grid operator E-Redes reported that over 1,000,000 customers lost electricity as high-voltage lines were snapped by falling trees and debris. Over 3,000 emergency personnel, including firefighters and municipal workers, have been deployed to clear roads and restore essential services. Meanwhile, The central district of Leiria has emerged as the epicentre of destruction following the passage of Storm Kristin, an exceptionally powerful extratropical cyclone that made landfall in the early hours of Wednesday, January 28. Described by meteorologists as a "meteorological bomb," the storm brought hurricane-force winds and torrential rain, resulting in at least four fatalities within the district alone and causing catastrophic damage to military and civilian infrastructure. The human cost in Leiria has been the highest in the country. Local authorities and the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority confirmed four deaths in the region. Two people lost their lives; one victim was struck by a flying metal sheet torn from a building, while another was trapped beneath the structural collapse of a residence. An individual was found in cardiac arrest at a construction site as weather conditions reached their peak. In the municipality of Marinha Grande, a 34-year-old man was confirmed dead due to storm-related causes. Leiria was the primary entry point for the storm's "sting jet"—a localized zone of extremely intense winds.
Meanwhile, The historic city of Coimbra and its surrounding district are reeling from the catastrophic passage of Storm Kristin. On Wednesday, January 28, the region witnessed what meteorologists are calling a "historic meteorological anomaly," as the storm delivered the highest wind speed ever recorded in mainland Portugal, leaving a trail of collapsed structures, uprooted ancient trees, and a total paralysis of the regional infrastructure. The Northern Railway Line (Linha do Norte), which connects Lisbon to Porto via Coimbra, was suspended indefinitely after overhead power lines were snapped by falling trees. Local grid operator E-Redes reported that tens of thousands of households in the Coimbra district remained in total darkness through Wednesday night as the "extreme severity" of the storm prevented repair crews from reaching damaged transformers. Mayor José Manuel Silva described the event as "an unprecedented challenge for our municipal services," noting that the priority remains clearing the hundreds of downed trees that have isolated rural parishes within the district.


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