Storm Charon disrupted air traffic in Portugal, closed schools and non-essential public services, and led to the temporary suspension of operations at hundreds of shops and supermarkets. By 9:20 a.m., 222 flights had been cancelled at the airports in Lisbon and Faro, Portuguese public broadcaster RTP reported, citing data from operator ANA.
Of these, 208 were at Lisbon’s Humberto Delgado Airport, while 14 were at Faro’s Gago Coutinho Airport. Another 16 flights were cancelled at Madeira Airport. Airlines warned passengers to check their flight status before heading to the airport.
Charon reached mainland Portugal after passing over Madeira. According to Reuters, the storm brought heavy rainfall and strong wind gusts, but the weather system split into two cores and weakened compared with initial expectations.
Schools and shops closed
The Portuguese government declared an alert situation for mainland Portugal for the entire day on 11 November. The measure includes the closure of all schools and non-essential public services, as well as the suspension of outdoor events.
Hundreds of supermarkets and shops also remained closed. Authorities urged citizens to stay at home as heavy rain and strong winds move through the southern and central regions.
“Everyone who can should stay at home. I urge employers to show understanding,” Interior Administration Minister Luís Neves said.Portuguese news agency Lusa reported that 60 weather-related incidents had been registered by 6:00 a.m. They included 49 floods, four fallen trees, one fallen object or structure, and four cases involving the clearing of road sections. The highest number of reports came from the Lisbon area and the Setúbal Peninsula.
Madeira records 137 incidents
The storm hit Madeira overnight into Wednesday. The Regional Civil Protection Service received 137 reports between 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday and 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday, most of them concerning flooding. A total of 351 personnel took part in rescue operations, using 144 vehicles.
Wind gusts in the higher parts of the island reached around 130 kilometres per hour. Due to the weather, ferry services between Madeira and Porto Santo were cancelled, as was the arrival of three cruise ships. No deaths or injuries were reported.
Warnings for dangerous weather mainly cover the Algarve, Alentejo, Lisbon and the country’s central regions. TAP allowed passengers with tickets issued by 10 November for travel on 11 November to change their bookings for flights through 17 November free of charge.
Sources: rtp.pt, apnews.com, marketscreener.com