Portugal Battles Flood Crisis Amidst Torrential Rain

Torrential rains have led to severe flooding in northern Portugal, prompting the evacuation of 3,000 residents near Coimbra. The storms, stretching from January, have claimed 15 lives and left many without power. An 'atmospheric river' causes further disruption, threatening levees and dams with overflow.

Intense rainfall has once again wreaked havoc across northern Portugal, inundating rural areas and pushing vital infrastructure to the brink. Authorities in the medieval city of Coimbra, forced to act swiftly, ordered the evacuation of 3,000 residents amid fears of levees bursting due to the relentless downpour.

This latest calamity is part of a series of devastating storms that have ravaged primarily central and southern parts of Portugal since January, causing extensive damage, leaving people without power, and tragically claiming at least 15 lives. Criticism over handling of Storm Kristin prompted Interior Minister Maria Lucia Amaral's resignation.

Adding to the climate chaos is an 'atmospheric river,' a meteorological phenomenon carrying vast moisture from the tropics, compounding the strain on cities like Coimbra. Emergency services remain on high alert as further threats of dam overflow and landslides loom large.

(With inputs from agencies.)