Portugal prepares this Saturday for more intense rains, while some 200,000 users remain without electricity, days after the passage of Storm Kristin that caused the death of five people.
Two men died on Saturday in separate incidents while repairing roofs damaged by high winds.
A 73-year-old man fell while replacing tiles in the town of Batalha near the district of Leiria (center), according to local officials. In the town of Alcobaca (center), the mayor, Herminio Rodrigues, said that another man died without giving more details.
“We ask the population not to put themselves in danger by trying to fix damage in this type of situation without technical knowledge or good safety conditions,” he added.
The national meteorological agency, IPMA, put all of mainland Portugal on alert for heavy rain until Monday and urged the population to stay informed.
Kristin Storm hit central and northern Portugal on Tuesday night with hurricane-force winds, causing flooding, material damage and transportation disruptions.
The storm felled some 5,800 trees throughout the country and forced 34 land and 17 water rescues, according to emergency services.
Around 198,000 users they were still without power supply on Saturday afternoon, mainly in the center of the country, according to E-redes, the electricity grid operator.
Most are located in Leiria where the storm brought down poles and high tension lines.
Generators were deployed to support hospitals, water systems and telecommunications.
Leiria Mayor Gonçalo Lopes called for volunteers to help repair damaged roofs before more rain arrives.
“Starting at midnight we expect more rain. “It’s something that worries us,” he told the private television network SIC.
