Lisbon:Portugal took precautionary measures by closing schools and canceling hundreds of flights as Storm Charles approached the mainland, having already impacted the Atlantic island of Madeira with heavy rain and strong winds.
According to Anadolu Agency – English, the Portuguese government declared an alert until midnight. Schools and nonessential public services remained closed, as reported by the Portuguese daily Diario de Noticias.
At Lisbon and Faro airports, at least 222 flights were canceled on Wednesday morning, with an additional 16 flights canceled at Madeira Airport, according to news agency Lusa. The weather agency IPMA downgraded wind warnings for Lisbon, Setubal, and Beja from red to orange, yet red warnings for heavy rainfall persisted in central and southern Portugal.
Emergency services reported 60 weather-related incidents on the mainland, primarily involving flooding in areas such as Greater Lisbon and the Setubal Peninsula. Heavy rain caused cars to be partially submerged near Lisbon's Oriente station, and around 2,000 customers lost power, as reported by E-Redes.
The Portuguese Environment Agency cautioned that 101 municipalities faced the risk of urban flooding, urging residents to avoid travel and stay clear of waterways and coastal areas. Eighteen harbor entrances were closed to maritime traffic due to the storm's conditions.
Madeira experienced wind gusts exceeding 130 kilometers per hour and over 240 millimeters of rain within six hours in highland areas, according to IPMA. Emergency services on the island recorded 137 incidents, including flooding and road blockages due to fallen trees and rocks.
An elderly man feared missing was found safe in a flooded garage. Access to central Funchal was restored after a short closure, despite warnings of potential further flooding and debris.
In Spain, around 3,000 residents of Piedralaves were evacuated due to concerns over the Horcajo dam's capacity to withstand heavy rainfall. Regions in Extremadura and Avila remained under red alerts for rain, while southern and eastern Spain faced orange alerts for both rainfall and winds.