LISBON, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- A series of powerful Atlantic storm systems has swept across Portugal in recent weeks, leaving at least 11 people dead and hundreds more injured or displaced, while causing widespread damage to infrastructure. Authorities have also warned that another round of severe weather could hit the country as early as next week.

The storms, named Kristin and Leonardo by meteorological services, triggered flooding, landslides, power outages, and transport disruptions across large parts of the country, particularly in central Portugal, where the districts of Leiria, Coimbra, and Santarem, all north of the capital Lisbon, reported the heaviest losses.

Falling trees and structures blocked roads, while schools, rail services, and ports closed temporarily as heavy rain, strong winds, and rough seas battered the territory.

In response, the government declared a state of calamity until Sunday in 68 municipalities and announced a support package worth up to 2.5 billion euros (2.95 billion U.S. dollars) for affected households, companies, and local authorities.

Storm Leonardo, after Kristin, was less violent in terms of peak winds but compounded the damage by falling on already saturated soils. Civil protection officials reported more than 100 emergency incidents during the early hours of Wednesday alone, mostly linked to floods and landslides.

The storms also hit the electricity network. At the height of Leonardo, thousands of customers were without power, mainly in Leiria, Santarem, Castelo Branco, and Coimbra districts, all north or northeast of Lisbon.

Utility companies said restoration work was ongoing, with supply already largely reestablished in some municipalities.

According to the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA), the extreme weather resulted from a rapid succession of Atlantic low-pressure systems combined with an unusually weak and displaced Azores High, the semi-permanent anticyclone that often shields Portugal from winter storms.

Meteorologists said the storms were fed by an "atmospheric river" carrying large amounts of moisture from the subtropical Atlantic, leading to persistent and intense rainfall. In mountainous areas of northern and central Portugal, accumulated precipitation between 150 and 200 millimeters was recorded over several days.

Some of the systems underwent "explosive cyclogenesis," a process in which atmospheric pressure drops very rapidly, intensifying winds and rainfall over a short period.

Angela Lourenco, a meteorologist at IPMA, said that such events can produce "episodes of extreme wind, often brief but highly destructive."

Climate scientist Pedro Matos Soares, a professor at the University of Lisbon, said that sequences of storms like those seen this winter are relatively rare but not unprecedented in Portugal's transitional climate between subtropical and mid-latitude zones.

He cautioned against directly attributing individual storms to climate change, while noting that scientific projections consistently show an increase in the intensity of extreme precipitation events as ocean and air temperatures rise.

"When these storms hit, they tend to be more energetic," he said, citing higher atmospheric moisture content and warmer oceans as contributing factors.

Despite extensive flooding of farmland, agricultural groups sought to reassure consumers that food supplies would remain stable.

Luis Mira, secretary-general of the Confederation of Portuguese Farmers, said the country's integration into the European single market would prevent shortages or extraordinary price increases.

"If a product does not come from one place, it comes from another," he said, adding that consumers were unlikely to notice disruptions.

The retailers were more cautious. Goncalo Lobo Xavier, secretary-general of the Portuguese Association of Distribution Companies, said it was too early to assess potential impacts on prices, stressing that distributors were focused on maintaining logistics and supporting primary producers.

To support the sector, Agriculture Minister Jose Manuel Fernandes announced an additional 40 million euros in grants for farmers in the affected municipalities, aimed at restoring productive capacity where losses exceed thirty percent.

Authorities warned that the respite expected over the weekend would be brief.

The head of the Portuguese Environment Agency said the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere had indicated renewed heavy rain in northern and central regions later this week, followed by another Atlantic depression early next week, which could be named Marta if it meets international alert criteria.

Coastal areas remain on alert, with significant wave heights of five to six meters forecast, and occasional peaks up to 12 meters, prompting temporary closures of several ports.

As recovery efforts continue, officials urged residents to closely follow weather updates and adhere to safety advice, warning that Portugal's run of severe winter storms may not yet be over. (1 euro = 1.18 U.S. dollar)

KLUANG – Memasuki hari kelima, kebakaran tanah gambut yang berlaku di kebun kelapa sawit serta kebun nanas di Simpang Renggam, di sini berjaya dipadam sebanyak 80.36 peratus daripada keseluruhan 25 ekar kebakaran.

Ketua Zon Tiga Jabatan Bomba dan Penyelamat Malaysia (JBPM) negeri Johor, Penguasa Kanan Bomba, Siti Hajar Sanusi berkata, kerja-kerja pemadaman akan disambung semula hari ini.

“Seluas 20.09 ekar melibatkan 8.45 daripada 13 ekar di kebun kelapa sawit (sektor A) dan 11.64 daripada 12 ekar di kebun nanas (sektor B) sudah berjaya dipadamkan sehingga lewat malam tadi.

KUALA PILAH – Jabatan Alam Sekitar Cawangan Kuala Pilah (JASCKP) mengesahkan bahawa pencemaran Sungai Pertang yang dilaporkan sejak akhir tahun lalu berpunca daripada aktiviti penternakan ayam dan pengorekan pasir sungai di sepanjang jajaran sungai berkenaan.

Menurut kenyataan dikeluarkan JASCKP, hasil siasatan yang dijalankan sepanjang akhir tahun 2025 serta pemeriksaan terkini pada 2 Februari lalu mendapati punca pencemaran tersebut adalah daripada aktiviti di luar bidang kuasa Jabatan Alam Sekitar.

“Siasatan mendapati aktiviti pencucian reban ayam oleh pengusaha penternakan telah menyebabkan pelepasan air basuhan najis ayam ke dalam Sungai Pertang, sekali gus meningkatkan beban pencemaran dan menjejaskan kualiti air sungai.

“Selain itu, aktiviti pengorekan pasir sungai turut dikenal pasti sebagai faktor penyumbang apabila kedalaman Sungai Pertang didapati semakin cetek berbanding keadaan asal.

“Air cucian pasir yang dilepaskan ke sungai dipercayai menambah beban pencemaran serta mengganggu habitat hidupan akuatik,” kata kenyataan itu.

KUALA LANGAT: Kira-kira 19 daripada 23 hektar kawasan Hutan Simpan Kuala Langat Selatan (HSKLS) dekat Sungai Kelambu di sini yang terbakar, berjaya dipadam sehingga pukul 8.30 pagi tadi.

Ketua Zon 5 (KLIA), Jabatan Bomba dan Penyelamat Malaysia (JBPM) Selangor, Penguasa Kanan Bomba II, Mohamad Issmanto Md. Pono berkata, pasukan penyelamat sedang memadam kebakaran pada baki kira-kira tiga hektar kawasan tersebut.

“Kebakaran masih aktif dan hotspot kecil, namun tidak menjejaskan penempatan berhampiran dan loji rawatan air (LRA) berdekatan,” katanya kepada pemberita, hari ini.

Menurutnya, pasukan penyelamat, dipecahkan kepada tiga kumpulan yang membuat pemadaman di tiga lokasi berbeza.

“Strike Team A membuat pemadaman menggunakan satu aliran 300 kaki hos Wajax 2 pancutan pam Tohatsu air terbuka di sektor A. Strike Team B menggunakan satu aliran 200 kaki air tangki pam jentera bomba di sektor B.

“Strike Team C membuat pemantauan dan pemadaman menggunakan fire bitter di kawasan yang tiada akses bagi kenderaan di sektor C,” ujarnya.

Operasi pada hari ketiga itu melibatkan dua pegawai dan 33 anggota keseluruhan dari Balai Bomba dan Penyelamat (BBP) Banting yang dibantu oleh agensi seperti Skuat Pasukan Tindakan Segera (Pantas) Majlis Perbandaran Kuala Langat (MPKL) seramai lima orang.

Turut serta, lima dari Angkatan Pertahanan Awam Malaysia (APM), Pejabat Tanah dan Daerah (lima orang), Jabatan Perhutanan Negeri Selangor (JPNS) (lima orang) dan Unit Pengurusan Bencana Selangor (tiga orang).

Utusan Malaysia hari ini melaporkan kebakaran yang berlaku di kawasan hutan simpan itu sejak tengah hari kelmarin melibatkan kawasan seluas seluas kira-kira 23 hektar atau bersamaan dengan 32 padang bola sepak.

Pengarah JPNS, Azhar Ahmad berkata, kawasan tersebut melibatkan sebahagian daripada HSKLS iaitu di Kompartment 55.

Ia juga dikategorikan sebagai hutan terosot yang musnah akibat kebakaran pada tahun 2021 serta 2023 dan kini hanya ditumbuhi resam dan lalang. – UTUSAN