At least five people have died after Storm Kristin tore through central and northern Portugal, causing flooding, landslides, and widespread damage.
The storm, which the government described as an extreme climatic event, left schools shuttered, buildings damaged, and travel severely disrupted. In the coastal city of Figueira da Foz, a Ferris wheel overturned and several vehicles were hit when part of a roof was torn from a building.
Portugal has been hit by a succession of storms in recent days, including one over the weekend in which a man died after his car was swept away in floods.
Heavy rain and wind gusts of up to 150 km (95 miles) per hour caused more than 3,000 weather-related incidents across the country, civil protection authorities said. Several people were struck by falling trees or debris.
The strongest winds were recorded at the Monte Real air base in Leiria, where gusts of 178 km were recorded before the monitoring equipment was destroyed. More than 850,000 people lost power on Wednesday, according to electricity distributor E-Redes.
The civil protection agency (ANEPC) reported that three people had died in the central district of Leiria - one of the worst affected areas. In Leiria, one person was hit by a metal sheet, and another was trapped in the structure of a house, according to officials. Local media said a man in Vila Franca de Xira died when a tree struck his car. There were also reports of a death in the Marinha Grande area.
Transport across Portugal has been severely disrupted, with roads - including the main motorway connecting Lisbon to the north - and railways blocked by debris. Ten coastal areas were placed under a red weather warning on Wednesday due to dangerous sea conditions, with waves forecast to reach up to 14m (45ft, 11in), according to the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA).
The PSP (Public Security Police) urged people in Coimbra and Leiria to stay inside, while Portugal's Secretary of State for Civil Protection said the country remained on maximum alert.
Prime Minister Luis Montenegro expressed condolences to the victims' families and stated that authorities were assessing the damage and will take whatever measures are necessary. Meanwhile, Leiria's mayor, Goncalo Lopes, urged the government to declare a state of emergency.
After crossing Portugal, Storm Kristin moved east into Spain - bringing with it snow, rain, and strong winds. The storm caused widespread disruption across the country, with schools, roads, and train lines closed and hundreds of thousands without power. In Andalusia, emergency services reported some 2,000 weather-related incidents.
Spain's national weather agency, AEMET, warned of very strong winds in some areas, with gusts expected to reach hurricane force. A red weather alert has been issued for parts of Almeria in the south-east due to the strength of the wind.
