In a note published on Facebook, the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC) indicates that the Plan foresees a set of actions and prevention teams, in order to assist the populations in the event of flooding in the bed of the Tejo River.

According to civil protection, the rain recorded in the Lisbon and Tejo Valley Region and the discharges from the dams and tributaries of the Tejo River basin increased the flow of the river and its tributaries.

“The hydrological information provided by the APA [Portuguese Environmental Association] indicates an increase in inflows in the Sorraia sub-basin, with the possibility of flooding in the historically most vulnerable areas,” the note says.

The Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) predicts “continued instability in the coming days, with flow rates expected to remain above 2000 m3/s, constituting a significant risk factor for the overtopping of the banks of the Tagus River and its tributaries”, according to ANEPC.

In the note, civil protection recommends that the population unclog rainwater drainage systems and remove aggregates and other objects that could be dragged or create obstacles to the free flow of water, adopt defensive driving, not cross flooded areas and remove animals and agricultural equipment from lands bordering rivers and watercourses.

The IPMA predicts rain and heavy showers until the end of the week.