Heavy rainfall in central Portugal caused severe flooding and debris flows in areas of Manteigas municipality, Guarda District on 13 September 2022.

Floods and debris flows in Sameiro, Manteigas municipality, Guarda District, Portugal, 13 September 2022. Photo: Presidente da Câmara Municipal de Manteigas

Heavy rain fell on burn scar areas of the Serra da Estrela mountain range. The areas had seen intense forest fires during the summer and by late August the government declared a state of calamity.

From late 12 September 2022 flood water, mud, downed trees and debris raced down hillsides around the village of Sameiro. Images show damage to buildings and infrastructure. At least 4 vehicles were dragged into the river Zêzere.

According to the mayor of Manteigas, Flávio Massano, “the damage is enormous, several vehicles were dragged by the force of the water, there are houses and businesses that have been affected, roads, street lighting, water and sanitation infrastructure, sports and recreational equipment, among others”.

“At the moment we have no information about the injured, nor the missing, but we are on the ground evaluating all the time, the mayor added.

The Portuguese Institute of Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) issued warnings for severe weather from 11 September 2022 as Extratropical Cyclone Danielle was forecast to make its way across the Iberian Peninsula. IPMA reported the city of Guarda recorded 83.7 m of rain in 24 hours on 13 September, while Covilhã saw 67.2 mm and Viseu 62 mm.

Elsewhere in the country, emergency teams carried out interventions for flooded buildings in Lomar e Arcos in Braga; Sacavém e Prior Velho in Lisbon and Castro Daire in Viseu, among others. Overall Portugal Civil Protection recorded more than 350 occurrences related to the bad weather, mostly for wind damage and minor flooding in the districts of Lisbon and Setúbal.

Floods and debris flows in Sameiro, Manteigas municipality, Guarda District, Portugal, 13 September 2022. Photo: Presidente da Câmara Municipal de Manteigas

Floods and debris flows in Sameiro, Manteigas municipality, Guarda District, Portugal, 13 September 2022. Photo: Presidente da Câmara Municipal de Manteigas