Weather emergencies in Brazil and Portugal

Brazil and Portugal have experienced a series of severe weather events and emergency incidents. Initial reports highlighted flooding of the Iguaçu River in Brazil, necessitating evacuations in União da Vitória, alongside various drowning incidents and fatal accidents across several Brazilian states. In Portugal, emergency operations were focused on searching for a missing child in the Douro River and combating wildfires in Proença-a-Nova.

Following these incidents, weather patterns shifted toward extreme temperature fluctuations. Portugal entered a period of high temperatures, with some regions seeing levels up to 6°C above average. The Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera (IPMA) issued yellow alerts for 15 districts, including Lisbon and Porto, as the heatwave heightened wildfire risks. In Brazil, weather remained highly variable, with temperatures reaching 37°C in parts of Minas Gerais while a polar air mass brought cooler, dry conditions to Acre.

Recent developments show intensifying wildfire risks in Portugal. The IPMA has warned that interior temperatures may exceed 40°C, with low humidity and wind speeds creating “Very High to Maximum” wildfire danger levels, particularly in the Algarve and interior regions. In response, the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC) and the GNR have prohibited activities such as large-scale burning and certain agricultural machinery use to prevent ignitions.

In Brazil, weather extremes continue to fluctuate. While Acre is transitioning from a polar air mass toward high heat and low humidity with temperatures reaching 38°C, Minas Gerais remains inconsistent, experiencing both heavy storms and temperatures near 37°C.