At least three people lost their lives in Morocco and another in Portugal and more than 100,000 were evacuated, while the Iberian Peninsula faces its second major storm in the last two weeks, Leonardo. After the passage of Kristin, which left six fatalities in Portugal alone, the country plans a second electoral round for February 8.
First modification: 02/05/2026 - 23:40
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The Iberian Peninsula has once again been at the mercy of the elements for the second consecutive week. After the Mediterranean area was hit on January 31 by Storm Kristin, an extratropical cyclone with winds of more than 200 kilometers per hour, it is now Leonardo's turn.
The storm caused flooding in Portugal, Spain and Morocco, left at least four fatalities and more than 100,000 evacuees between the three countries, and jeopardized the runoff of the presidential elections in the first of them, which is scheduled for February 8.
Three women died on February 4 in the town of Beni Arous, in the province of Larache, in northwest Morocco, when their house collapsed as a result of landslides that have affected the entire country, and which have forced the authorities to evacuate more than 108,000 people living in flood-prone areas.
The same day, a 60-year-old man lost his life in Serpa, Portugal, near the border with Huelva (Spain), when his car was submerged by the flooding of the Guadiana River, while several train routes suspended their operations as a result of the storm.
On February 5, a woman disappeared in Malaga, swept away by the strong current of the Turvilla River while trying to save her dog. "We spent all afternoon and evening last night searching. We found the dog, but not her," said the city's fire chief, Manuel Marmolejo, in statements to Spanish television.
In Andalusia, some 3,500 people have been evacuated and as of February 4 there were 52 roads and more than 80 secondary roads cut off by landslides.
At the electoral crossroads
The contingency finds Portugal in the midst of an electoral contest, with the runoff of the presidential elections between the far-right André Ventura and the socialist António José Seguro scheduled for February 8.
Ventura requested the suspension of voting day, arguing that the conditions to go to the polls are not met, but his request was not accepted by the electoral authority.
"Frankly, I think we are not in a position to have elections," Ventura said. "You cannot force people who are homeless, without food and distressed to vote at this time. Voting is a duty, but we can do without (it) for a week," he added.
At least three towns, Arruda do Vinhos, Alcácer do Sal and Golegã, have already made the decision to postpone the elections for a week, with their respective town councils reporting that they are suspending the day until February 15.
The National Electoral Commission (CNE) validated the power of municipalities to postpone elections in centers where operating, security and access conditions are not met, but ruled out agreeing to a general postponement.
The CNE explained that a national delay is not possible and that despite the declaration of a “state of calamity” by the Government, the meteorological events "do not constitute sufficient grounds for a delay in the vote at the council or district level."
The electoral authority also confirmed that it will offer the elections at the originally scheduled time, 20:00 GMT on February 8, even though the processes in several locations are pending.
President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa had previously said that he did not rule out delaying election day for a week in particularly affected cities, and gave as an example Alcácer do Sal, in the district of Setúbal, where the only confirmed death occurred in the country.
"Each city council is a case, but it is evident that there are extreme situations like this. The mayor (of Alcácer do Sal) will decide at the appropriate time, but she will probably take into account what is being experienced and will understand that the most prudent thing is to make a decision that allows using what is in the law," said Rebelo de Sousa.
The president canceled the official visit he had planned to make to Spain on February 6, a decision he made in agreement with King Felipe VI, with whom he communicated by telephone.
It is the second time that the meeting has been postponed, after being forced to suspend it in December due to an emergency operation that he had to undergo to address complications from a hernia.
Damage in Portugal
The Portuguese Minister of Economy, Manuel Castro Almeida, revealed on February 5 that the country was already facing damages in the order of 4.7 billion dollars, as a result of Storm Kristin on January 31, which left six fatalities in the country.
Castro Almeida explained that the figure corresponds only to the reconstruction of damaged infrastructure, and not to other types of derived expenses, such as the paralysis of industries.
"It will be a very significant shock for the economy," acknowledged the minister, who explained that "several businessmen plan to build completely new factories because the current ones are completely unusable, which means that the recovery could take several months."
The salaries of workers affected by the inoperability of their sources of employment will be guaranteed for up to 2,760 euros per month (3,250 dollars), 80% of which will be contributed by Social Security.
On February 1, the Government of Rebelo de Sousa approved a package of loans and incentives of more than 2.9 billion dollars to promote the reconstruction of homes and businesses.
But it is an evolving panorama, because the state meteorological agency Aemet predicts another storm that will chain together with Kristin and Leonardo, Marta, scheduled precisely for the election weekend.
With EFE, Reuters and EFE
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