Madeira update: 42 dead, 250 homeless from floods in Portugal
Funchal, Madeira – photo by zyberchema (source: Flickr Creative Commons)
BBC News reports that the death toll from Saturday’s floods and mudslides on the Portuguese island of Madeira has risen to 42. Earth Times puts the official number of injured at 120 with 70 still hospitalized and around 250 people homeless.
Saturday’s storms were an unprecedented event for the inhabitants for Madeira. According to Der Spiegel an entire month’s rain fell on the island in just 8 hours. Rescue efforts include medical teams, divers and members of the Portuguese military.
Emergency crews are continuing their search for at least four missing people and officials warn there could be further victims in areas cut off from the rescue teams.
–Der Spiegel
The Guardian reports that three rivers, which cross Madeira’s regional capital of Funchal, rapidly overflowed on Saturday, resulting in torrents of water rushing into the city’s streets and bursting drains. Many villages remain trapped because of mudslides.
Environmentalists blamed overbuilding along rivers that flow down deep ravines from the extinct volcano at the centre of the island.
–Guardian
by Graham Land
Additional resources:
Breaking: 38 dead from floods in Madeira, Portugal
Graham Land grew up in Washington, D.C., where he was part of the local hardcore punk scene. Through this unique musical movement he became involved in grass roots anti-racist activism, animal rights and Ecology. Since 2000 Graham has lived in Europe, earning an MA in history from Malmö University in Sweden and working as a musician, English teacher, sports therapist, customer service agent and writer. Graham has a podcast with author Saci Lloyd and is currently pretending to work on his first novel.
Popularity: 1% [?]
Tags: Der Spiegel, floods, Funchal, Guardian, homeless, island, Madeira, mudslides, Portugal, rivers
Leave a Reply