Earth Watch Report
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| 17.11.2012 | Extreme Weather | Portugal | Distrito Faro, [Silves e Lagoa area] |  |
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Extreme Weather in Portugal on Friday, 16 November, 2012 at 17:37 (05:37 PM) UTC.
| Description | |
| The National Authority for Civil Protection (ANPC) confirm the occurrence of two phenomena very strong winds, but can not yet characterize these phenomena, which have caused dozens of wounded, some of them severe. The ANPC explained to CM Journal that between 13h00 and 13h30 on Friday strong winds ravaged Silves and Lagoa causing dozens of wounded, some in critical condition. The damages are huge in dozens of vehicles, registering falling trees, shingles flew, fallen walls and damages inside homes. The wind afected a campers field in Silves, near the municipal swimming pools. Some of the caravans had affected people inside who were injured. The coverage of countertops Football Stadium of Silves flew with the wind strength. In Lagoa in several buildings housing the wind broke the windows and destroyed the interior of the houses. Through the streets sees overturned cars, fallen trees, roofs raised, in a scene of destruction. Authorities are still on the ground, to take stock of possible destruction, and therefore not yet possible to come up with a concrete number of injured and the severity of these injuries. |
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Extreme Weather in Portugal on Friday, 16 November, 2012 at 17:37 (05:37 PM) UTC.
| Updated: | Saturday, 17 November, 2012 at 04:49 UTC |
| Description | |
| Trees were uprooted, balconies, roof tiles and framework ripped off, windows shattered and vehicles tossed for metres. Many local residents were affected by the freak incident in which the entire neighbourhood was reduced to tatters and people were seriously injured. Panicking parents rushed to a nearby-by school to collect their children who were in class when the tornado hit, and billboards on a nearby roundabout were mangled. The exact extent of the damage and seriousness of the injuries is still being calculated but initial assessments suggest thirteen people were injured, three of whom seriously. The State Secretary for Welfare and Social Security has confirmed that four families, a total of eleven people, six of whom minors, need to be rehomed. Abel Silva, born and raised in Lagoa, saw his ground-floor apartment destroyed in the terrifying incident which last merely minutes. "It was overwhelming. All of a sudden my windows started shaking, the ground was trembling. I tried to hold the windows but I saw they were going to blow I so I threw myself to the side. The entire house has been destroyed. I've never seen anything like this before." People in a nearby cafe said: "The sky turned pitch black, the wind became so dense you could see it, and it seemed like everything was shaking. The windows were rattling. A metal sheet from a nearby building site was ripped up. We were told to get back and stand away from the windows. The power went out. It was like something from a movie." GNR police confirmed that there were serious injuries and many families have been left temporarily homeless. Emergency services were drafted in from neighbouring districts to try to bring the pandemonium under control. The National Civil Protection Authority (ANPC) dispatched emergency services to Lagoa and Silves from as far away as Beja, Setatildebal and Avora. Bad weather including strong winds, thunder and lightening tormented the Algarve today on Friday. There was a power shortage in Lagos caused by persistent stormy weather, the village of Ferragudo and city of Albufeira flooded, and damage was caused to several locations across the region. Residents in Silves told The Portugal News "it looks like a bomb has hit it." Eyewitness reports said a glass dome that once sat on top of the Town Hall shattered. In Alvor a roof was ripped off a school and a cafe-kiosk in the heart of the village was completely removed from its spot. Around 226 men and women and 68 vehicles were sent to the cities. Information from the ANPC website confirms 13 people were injured as a result of the tornado and no deaths were caused. An emergency rescue helicopter was also dispatched at 2.55pm but later retracted. The Weather Institute (IM) placed the Algarve under orange alert - a warning of moderate to high risk meteorological situation. Heavy downpours accompanied by strong winds and thunder were predicted, but thankfully proved unfounded. |
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