Portugal braces for Storm Charles; to shut schools, ready rescue teams

Portugal's government has ordered schools and ​non-essential public services to shut ​on Wednesday, advising that people ‌stay ​indoors wherever possible, as Storm Charles threatened to bring torrential rains and wind gusts of up to 150 ‌kph (93 mph). "There will be very tough moments when rescue efforts will be needed," Interior Minister Luis Neves said, announcing the measures that included putting all emergency services ‌and army units on alert for what he said was likely to ‌be "an absolutely exceptional day".

Since Sunday, Portugal and neighbouring Spain have already been pummelled by heavy rains brought by Storm Bruna, with flooding reported in several areas. In January and February this year, ⁠the ​Iberian peninsula was hit ⁠by a succession of storms that destroyed or damaged thousands of homes, washed away roads ⁠and caused severe economic losses.

About 3,000 people were being evacuated from the town of Piedralaves ​in Spain's central province of Ávila on Tuesday as authorities warned of ⁠the risk of overflow at the Horcajo dam. They said no injuries or disruptions to ⁠electricity ​or telephone services had been reported so far. Spain's weather service AEMET warned that parts of Cáceres and Ávila provinces could receive more than 120 ⁠mm (4.72 inches) of rain in 12 hours on Tuesday and Wednesday, raising the ⁠risk of flooding. It ⁠also warned of hurricane-strength winds exceeding 130 kph on the Canary Island of La Palma on Wednesday.