24 Feb 10 Madeira Floods: Is This Another Sign Of 2012?
According to the BBC news at least 32 people have been killed in floods and mudslides after torrential rains hit the Portuguese island of Madeira.Sixty-eight others were reported to have been taken to hospital for treatment on the Atlantic island, which is popular with foreign tourists.
Authorities flew more rescue teams and military engineers from the mainland to help the Atlantic island where a heavy rainstorm on Saturday unleashed floods and mudslides, washing away bridges, blocking roads with rocks and mud and cutting off parts of the island.
Television pictures showed muddy torrents coursing down narrow channels and spilling over the sides, roads awash with water and streets littered with debris.Debris left behind in Funchal by the flash floods.The island\’s airport was closed and Funchal mayor Miguel Albuquerque advised people to stay at home. One woman was killed when the roof of her house caved in. Some residents had to be evacuated. Power and telephone services were disrupted in some places.
Portugal is dispatching emergency aid to the autonomous region around 1,000 kilometres away in the Atlantic. Help includes a navy ship with helicopters and medical equipment.The clean-up will take some time, with bridges washed away, trees felled and roads blocked by rocks and mud. And, while no further flash floods are expected, meteorologists say the amount of rainfall on Saturday exceeded the monthly average.
Local media say the authorities\’ main concern now is for residents of Nuns valley – an isolated mountainous region that rescue workers have been unable to reach.\”The problem requires a response on the national level,\” Interior Minister Rui Pereira was quoted as saying. He said Lisbon was considering declaring a state of emergency in the region.
The clean-up will take some time, with bridges washed away, trees felled and roads blocked by rocks and mud. And, while no further flash floods are expected, meteorologists say the amount of rainfall on Saturday exceeded the monthly average.
According to dailymail.co.uk the island\’s government said it was finding temporary accommodation for hundreds left homeless by the flooding.Local authorities called in employees to operate heavy machinery like bulldozers to clear roads and remove debris.People in low-lying areas of Funchal fled as flood waters rose, state-run Lusa news agency said.
Flooding is not unknown on Madeira, but nothing of this severity has occurred in living memory, according to a local resource.Conditions eased last night and the authorities were making temporary shelters available for several hundred people who were left homeless, though further rain is forecast today.
Author: John Mcgregor is an experienced journalist. Quick Poll: Do you think we should be afraid of a global catastrophe soon? Vote Yes or Vote No . You will obtain a Free $10 Coupon to play Bingo online.
Tags: catastrophe, madeira flood, Travel & Leisure
