Devastating mudslide strikes Portuguese island of Madeira

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Devastating mudslide strikes Portuguese island of Madeira

Wednesday, 24 February 2010 21:37

The Portuguese island of Madeira suffered a massive mudslide killing 43 and injuring 120, as raging floodwaters from surrounding mountains covered the streets of the regional capital Funchal Feb. 20.

The island of Madeira inhabits 250,000 residents and is part of an archipelago or a series of islands, off the west coast of Portugal and is a popular destination island for tourists.

Rescue teams have pulled 43 bodies from the flood and 32 people remain missing.

Amid the destruction, bridges are washed away, homes are buried in debris, electricity and telephone cables are damaged, and people remain stranded. Television reports show water coursing through the streets of the capital and washing away cars and trees, according to Radio Netherlands Worldwide.

“The death toll will likely increase, given the circumstances of this flood,” regional social services spokesman Francisco Ramos said in a Mercury News article, adding that there were "great difficulties" in communications.

The mudslide was a result of an extreme amount of rainfall from a concentrated storm that unleashed a downpour of 6.5 inches in 5 hours, according to the Funchal weather station.

According to World Climate, the average rainfall in Funchal for the entire month of February is 3.5 inches.

Accuweather claimed that the storm was bolstered by an unusually strong temperature contrast of the sea surface across the Atlantic Ocean.

“Warm ocean waters increase the amount of moisture that the atmosphere can hold. When it moves over land the rainfall can be intense. Mudflows occur when soil is saturated on a slope and begins to move,” Ellen Cowan, Appalachian State University staff geologist, said.

Abnormally warm waters were found widespread off West Africa whereas relatively cold surface waters have stretched between Western Europe and the southeastern United States, according to Accuweather.

A Portuguese warship loaded with helicopters and medical relief supplies was sent to Madeira to provide additional reinforcement.

The European Union held a news conference to offer assistance and funding for the disaster. Madeira is part of the EU, as an outermost region of the European Union, according to the Europa glossary.

According to CNN, 250 people have been displaced and evacuated to nearby military bases and other locations for shelter.

Story: ELIZA PHILLIPS, World Today Contributor

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