[ad_1]
Lisbon (AFP) – Portugal placed most of the country on red alert on Saturday as Hurricane Leslie headed for its coastline, which could be the most violent storm to hit the country since 1842.
Authorities urged residents to stay indoors and fishermen to return to port, while some flights were canceled due to warnings. The winds could reach 120 km at the hour.
And neighboring Spain was also preparing. Meteorologists were expecting it to happen early Sunday, though, by that time, it would likely have been downgraded to a tropical storm.
AccuWeather, a global weather forecast site, dubbed Leslie a "hurricane of zombies" as it formed on September 23 and fished the waters of the Atlantic Ocean for weeks. .
But it was expected that Portugal will reach its territory on Saturday, with strong winds and expected rains in the early evening, the worst conditions being likely to occur at night or Sunday morning.
Weather data indicate that only five hurricanes have arrived in this part of the Atlantic Ocean and that Leslie could prove to be the most violent storm to hit Portugal since 1842.
The exact trajectory of the hurricane remains unclear however due to the presence of another storm approaching the northern region, announced the Portuguese Meteorological Institute.
– One in 176 years –
The maritime authorities have advised fishermen currently at sea to return to the nearest port and the Portuguese airline TAP has canceled seven flights to and from Lisbon.
"We do not know what will be the real and concrete impact, so we are being cautious," said Lisbon Mayor Fernando Medina.
Over the past 176 years, only Hurricane Vince has landed in the Iberian Peninsula, hitting southern Spain in 2005, according to weather data cited by experts.
In October 2017, the strong winds caused by Hurricane Ophelia, which devastated northern Portugal and western Spain, caused forest fires that killed some 40 people during a heat wave.
Ophelia then landed in Ireland in the form of a violent storm, killing three people.
While Leslie risks being demoted to the storm category when he invades Spanish Spain on Sunday, the authorities have warned that it could cause damage by adding to other active weather fronts.
The Spanish civil protection agency said that storms in the south and east of the country could be "very strong locally" and that heavy rains were expected in the north and east.
On Tuesday, heavy rains caused flash floods on the island of Mallorca, Spain, killing 12 people.
As new storms approach, the Civil Protection Agency has advised people to secure doors and windows in anticipation of high winds and to avoid approaching trees, cranes or buildings under construction. .
