“Overall, we are talking about around 2,800 to 3,000 residents, but many people have already left and gone to stay with family,” said the mayor at a press conference at the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) building in Coimbra, explaining that the decision was taken as a preventive measure.

Given the risk of flooding in parts of the municipality, all schools in the parishes of Santa Clara, Castelo Viegas, São Martinho do Bispo, Ribeira de Frades, Taveiro, Ameal and Arzila will be closed on Wednesday, she said.

In addition to the withdrawal of people, the mayor added that the evacuation of three homes in São Martinho do Bispo has already begun.

The decision comes in response to the APA’s warning of the risk of the Mondego hydrographic works' dikes bursting, and was announced after a meeting between the mayors of Coimbra, Soure, Montemor-o-Velho and Figueira da Foz, the agency's president, Pimenta Machado, and regional and local civil protection authorities.

“We have all the resources, we are acting well in advance,” she stressed.

According to Ana Abrunhosa, people will be evacuated from locations in the riverside area of Torres do Mondego and Ceira (concentration area: Casa do Povo de Ceira), the area of São Martinho do Bispo (Escola Inês de Castro) and Ribeira de Frades, Taveiro, Ameal and Arzila (Escola de Taveiro).

Although there is an evacuation order covering around 3,000 people, Ana Abrunhosa explained that in general “25% of people use these concentration and support areas for the population”.

Ana Abrunhosa stressed that on Wednesday morning, rain is expected to fall with “much greater intensity,” and the municipality is preparing for the worst-case scenario, although she hopes that people will soon be able to return home and “this will be nothing more than a scare.”

Residents of nursing homes who have not been taken to family homes are being directed to the Mário Mexia Pavilion, she explained.

The mayor also recalled that during the meeting, a phone call was made to the Minister for the Environment, who agreed with the mayor's” positions.

“She said that, in our place, she would not think twice,” said Ana Abrunhosa, who thanked the APA and the Minister responsible for the portfolio, “who has always been present and always thoughtful”.