British woman, 85, is killed and dozens injured as Storm Claudia winds rip through
A British woman has been killed after Storm Claudia winds ripped through a Portuguese holiday campsite.
The 85-year-old had been reported missing at the campsite in Albufeira in the southern region of the Algarve and was later found dead.
Officials confirmed the woman was caught up in the violent winds that tore through the site this morning.
Regional civil protection commander Vitor Vaz Pinto said the storm triggered widespread damage across the area, leaving dozens of people hurt.
Two people suffered serious injuries, while the rest sustained more minor wounds. Those affected include Portuguese, Spanish and the British national.
Portuguese broadcaster SIC described the weather event as an ‘extreme wind phenomenon’ that struck at around 10am, sending debris flying and causing structural damage across the site.
The damage at a campsite in Albufeira, Portugal, following violent winds from Storm Claudia
Officials confirmed the victim was caught up in the violent winds that tore through the site this morning
Portugal’s president, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, offered his ‘solidarity with the family of the victim who died as a result of Storm Claudia’s passage this morning in Albufeira’.
Emergency services confirmed that 28 people were hurt across two affected sites in Albufeira.
That includes six young children, from just two months old to seven, all of whom sustained minor injuries, as well as 23 adults aged between 24 and 70, according to Portugal’s National Medical Emergency Institute.
Portugal’s national weather agency, IPMA, said specialists are now examining conditions in the Algarve to determine whether a tornado formed as Storm Claudia swept through the region. Early radar readings, it noted, point to a ‘very high’ likelihood that a tornado did touch down.
The agency stressed that forecasting such phenomena remains challenging, with limited ability to pinpoint when or where they may develop.
According to IPMA, the worst of the storm moved through the area between 11am and 3pm, bringing destructive winds and heavy rain.
Elsewhere in the south, the districts of Faro, Setúbal and Beja remain under an orange alert for persistent, potentially intense rainfall and thunderstorms, the IPMA said on its website.
Albufeira mayor, Rui Cristina, expressed his condolences to the family of those who died in the extreme winds.
Mr Cristina said: ‘Since the first hour, I’ve been following on the ground the situation caused by the wind phenomenon that hit our municipality.
‘I’ve been to the most affected places today, including the campground, where the scenery is truly heartbreaking.
‘There is a record of several injured and one fatal victim, aged 85 of British nationality. On behalf of myself and the Municipality, I express my deepest condolences to the family and friends.
‘We are working with all municipal means and civil protection entities to support victims and restore conditions of safety and normality as quickly as possible.’