Swaths of Spain and Portugal were on high alert on Thursday as heavy rain and strong winds battered the Iberian peninsula, felling trees, disrupting transport and forcing the closure of schools in some areas.<\/p>\n
In Spain, a red alert was declared in Galicia, Cantabria and the Basque Country after the arrival of Storm Nils, the eighth to hit the country this year. The weather agency AEMET warned of waves up to nine metres and gusts above 105 km\/h in parts of the north.<\/p>\n
Part of the A1 motorway linking Portugal\u2019s north and south collapsed on Wednesday night near Coimbra after a levee broke, complicating repairs amid flooding. In Catalonia, authorities suspended classes and non-essential services as winds knocked down trees and disrupted road and rail traffic.<\/p>\n
At least five people were injured in Catalonia, including a person in serious condition after being struck by a fallen tree. Civil protection issued mobile alerts urging residents to stay indoors and avoid unnecessary travel.<\/p>\n
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Portugal faced fresh downpours driven by an atmospheric river, particularly in the north, prompting about 3,000 evacuations. Storm Oriana, approaching from the Atlantic, was not directed at the mainland but was expected to bring heavy rain and wind Thursday and Friday.<\/p>\n
The Instituto Portugu\u00eas do Mar e da Atmosfera (IPMA) said the storm would affect most of the country, though mainland exposure would vary. The disruption includes potential effects on transportation and public utilities, with ongoing monitoring.<\/p>\n
In Coimbra, officials reported stability overnight and no new evacuations were needed, according to state news agency Lusa. Infrastructure Minister Miguel Pinto Luz said repairs to the A1 would take weeks, pending receding floodwaters.<\/p>\n
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Porta-vozes das autoridades afirmou que o volume de chuva exige monitoramento cont\u00ednuo e que as opera\u00e7\u00f5es de resgate permanecem em prontid\u00e3o. Equipes de prote\u00e7\u00e3o civil coordenam a\u00e7\u00f5es de emerg\u00eancia e apoio a comunidades afetadas.<\/p>\n
Em Barcelona, mais de 40 voos ficaram cancelados ou atrasados no aeroporto El Prat, segundo informa\u00e7\u00f5es obtidas com a operadora. Mesmo com restri\u00e7\u00f5es, o aeroporto continuou operando, com possibilidade de novas altera\u00e7\u00f5es.<\/p>\n
O governo espanhol e autoridades portuguesas reiteram a necessidade de cautela. Azeitado pela for\u00e7a das tempestades, o litoral norte permanece sob vigil\u00e2ncia constante, com servi\u00e7os de emerg\u00eancia em alerta permanente.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"