Depression Charles dropped more rain on Madeira than the storm behind the island's deadliest disaster in 2010, officials said Wednesday. This time, the Region got through without any severe incidents. Miguel Albuquerque, president of the Regional Government, presented the storm's toll at a briefing on Wednesday morning. He spoke at the headquarters of the Regional Civil Protection Service, where he laid out rainfall figures, river levels and the public's response.
Rainfall Topped 479 Millimeters in 12 Hours
Albuquerque said Charles dropped 479 millimeters of rain in 12 hours. That is more than the 387 millimeters recorded in the same 12-hour window during the storm of February 20, 2010 - the disaster that killed 47 people and left six missing.
| Measure | Storm Charles, Nov. 2026 | Feb. 20, 2010 |
|---|---|---|
| Rainfall in 12 hours | 479 mm | 387 mm |
| Peak hourly rainfall | 65 mm, at 06:00 | 78 mm |
| Deaths | None reported | 47 |
| People missing | None reported | 6 |
Albuquerque addressed the February 20 comparison directly.
We had a situation that surpassed February 20, which, as you know, was 387 millimeters, or 387 liters per square meter. We had a peak of 65 liters an hour, at 6 in the morning, and the maximum we had on February 20 was 78 liters an hour, so we had a very similar situation.
Miguel Albuquerque, president of the Regional Government of Madeira
205 Incidents Mobilized 542 Workers and 216 Vehicles
By 09:00 on Wednesday, Civil Protection had logged 205 occurrences linked to the storm's passage. The response mobilized 542 personnel, 216 vehicles. Despite the scale of the operation, none of the incidents was considered serious, Albuquerque said.
Peak Intensity Hit 65 Millimeters an Hour at Dawn
The most critical period came between 02:00 and 03:00. Heavy rain coincided with high tide and very high river flows, slowing the drainage of water downstream. At 06:00, rainfall intensity reached 65 liters per square meter in a single hour. In 2010, the peak hourly intensity was higher, at 78 liters per square meter.
Even so, the total volume of rain this time was greater. That led Albuquerque to describe the two storms as having very similar overall characteristics.
High Tide Added Pressure on Ribeira de João Gomes
Albuquerque explained that the city's drainage infrastructure is built to handle exceptional rainfall peaks. Even so, water naturally takes time to drain, especially when river flows run high. The coincidence of intense rain with high tide added further pressure, he said. Sea levels affect how rivers discharge into the ocean, particularly the Ribeira de João Gomes.
São Roque Rescue, Serra de Água Landslide Damage
Among the most delicate situations, Albuquerque pointed to São Roque, where a missing person was later rescued. In Serra de Água, a family will have to be moved out of their home after a landslide. Two houses were identified as damaged by landslides and flooding.
Albuquerque opened his briefing by thanking residents for their civic behavior during the storm, saying it helped avoid more serious problems. He noted that many of the risks tied to severe weather arise when people are out and about, an implicit call to follow official guidance. He also thanked firefighters, municipal councils, Civil Protection and the other personnel involved for their work and coordination during the response.
Source: dnoticias.pt
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