the hot goddess

State of Emergency in Portugal

While I was spared the worst of last week’s record-breaking bomb cyclone Kristin, many others here in Portugal’s Silver Coast and Central regions are still suffering. Nearly 200,000 homes remain without power a week later. Portugal’s government has declared a state of emergency, estimating damages from the “horrific” storm at more than €2.5 billion. Another Atlantic storm –  Leonardo – is currently drenching already saturated soil here, causing more flooding, overflowing rivers, and landslides.

This morning in the Coimbra District.
Earlier this morning, we saw blue skies here. Roads, public transport, and schools here are closed due to flooding.
Tap Below for Audio
Today I’m having breakfast with Leonardo. Dry, sheltered, and safe inside my intact home with currently functioning electricity. Leonardo is gusting here at only 46 knots (53mph) now.

Kristin

I didn’t realize the extent of the damage from Kristin’s Category 2-3 hurricane force winds (reportedly up to 202kmh, or 126mph) until images started coming in from news and other media sites. According to news reports, the Leiria District an hour north of my village was the hardest hit.

More Warnings

Texts began this week warning of more rain, flooding, and overflowing rivers here.
Another week of stormy weather is hampering cleanup efforts.
Leonardo is chasing Kristin.
Here we go again.
This morning
Leonardo is worsening already untenable living situations in Leiria. Flooding, landslides, and crumbling/sinking roadways are making emergency vehicle travel difficult.

Source: CNN Portugal

This week, I have experienced only occasional, brief periods of power and phone outages, with rainwater only coming in from ceiling exhaust fans now. Just minor inconveniences. Also this week, my municipal water department declared that our tap water is safe to consume without boiling. We are fortunate. Many others are not.

If you are an immigrant/expat living in Portugal, I hope you consider donating needed items (e.g., bottled water, diapers, plastic tarps, etc.) at a nearby collection location, and/or monetary donations to Portugal’s Red Cross or charitable organizations in the devastated Leiria District.

Cruz Vermelha Portuguesa
Portuguese Red Cross

None of these images are my own. They all were shared on various news or media outlets. Sources are noted if known.

The Hot Goddess

Thank you for reading ❤️. I hope this finds you as I am: safe, healthy, and grateful for the things I often take for granted.

22 comments

  1. Wow these pictures look awful! I can’t imagine what the country is going through with back-to-back storms. You mentioned Fernando, but is it Leonardo? Or is it 2 different storms coming?

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  2. I often have a hard time with that realization of others having it worse off than myself in storms and such, too. But I think for most involved in these awful situations, no matter the degree of devastation, there’s not really a bitterness towards ‘lesser VS greater harm’…unless the lesser-harmed are cavalier about it. Hope that helps. Stay safe, dear Natalie.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  7. Oh, that is a disaster zone. Far worse than I had thought it was. Glad to hear that you’re safe. This will take months for the country to repair the infrastructure. 😦

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • I agree, Tamara. Much worse than I initially thought too. €2.5 billion in damages is hard for me to wrap my head around. And I’ve just read that meteorologists are warning yet another storm is forming for this weekend.

      Like

      Reply

  8. We haven’t been so lucky. Transitioning between the UK and Pedra do Ouro, we got our residency appointment on Monday. Sitting on our sofa on Tuesday evening overlooking the ocean we considered sleeping at our home. But because we have workmen there and no hot water we went to our little hotel in nearby Sao Pedro da Moel. That decision saved our lives.

    We had to walk 4km the next day because the trees were down – but still we were confident. But when I saw my coat on the pavement outside our house and then our sofa at the bottom of the garden, we realise we were very much not ok.

    No roof, no windows, no possessions. All gone. Some furniture maybe can be saved but all precious glass collection, computer, camera (I am a professional photographer) etc all gone. Other houses with broken window but none so bad.

    We are tired, weary, dirty, damp, a little disillusioned but we are safe. And we have insurance. Many people are worse off than we are. An the kindness of the people here have only cemented our decision that this is where we need to be.

    I enjoy your bulletins – they always cheer me up. And boy do we need that now. We are travelling back to the UK today to finish selling our house there. And finally to have a hot bath!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Oh, Valda, I am so sorry to hear this. I’m glad you are safe, and that you have insurance cover, but what an ordeal. And to lose your cherished possessions. Ugh.

      Yes, people here are very kind and helpful. Wish you were experiencing that in a different context, though. Do you have a place to stay?

      Like

      Reply

      • thank you for your kind words. You have made me laugh so many times I just wanted to share my story. We are halfway through selling our UK home so we are flying out tomorrow. We went and got a hotel in Caldas da Rainha because we needed internet to start the claim process etc. But we have been offered accommodation from so many kind people.
        We will rise above this. In time. With fair wind and enough wine inside us.

        Liked by 1 person

Leave a comment