World
Storm Charles: Portugal shuts all of its roughly 8,000 schools and cancels 300+ flights
It was the first nationwide school closure for a forecast storm in living memory; the storm turned out weaker than feared.
In short
~8,000schools closed across Portugal
- Schools closed: ~8,000
- Flights cancelled: 300+
- Web Summit: day 2 cancelled
What happened
On Wednesday, Portugal closed all its schools and most non-essential public services as Storm Charles reached the mainland. People were told to stay indoors and emergency services were put on maximum alert. More than 300 flights were cancelled, according to Al Jazeera, and hundreds of shops closed.
The outcome
Forecasters said the storm split into two centres and weakened, so damage was limited. Lisbon still saw flooding, and the second day of the Web Summit tech conference was cancelled. More rain is forecast across Spain and Portugal until Friday.
