Altice resources were reinforced mainly in the districts of Braga, Porto, Viana do Castelo, Viseu, Vila Real and Aveiro, which were most affected by bad weather.

In a statement, Altice Portugal states that hundreds of operational, technical and liaison elements are in the field carrying out communications replacement work.

“However, as more than 50 percent of the failures originate from power failures, Altice Portugal teams are waiting for their regularization in order to be able to carry out the restoration work”, said the note.

Altice points out that it is not possible to estimate when normalization of communications in the most affected regions will be possible, as bad weather will continue, according to forecasts by the Portuguese Institute of Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA).

Company headquarters are monitoring the work of teams on the ground and the replacement of connections.

Altice Portugal also points out that it is on the ground accompanying and supporting populations, in close cooperation with local and security authorities.

The National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority warned the population on Wednesday, 18 December, of worsening weather conditions, with heavy and persistent rainfall, high wind in the highlands and strong sea turbulence across the coast.

The Portuguese Institute of Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) placed under red warning, the most serious, due to the forecast of gusts exceeding 100 kilometres per hour, the districts of Viseu, Guarda, Castelo Branco, Aveiro and Coimbra.

Speaking to Lusa, the commander Rui Laranjeiro of the National Emergency and Protection Authority said that between 3pm on Wednesday and 8am Thursday 1,270 occurrences, which involved 3,750 operational and 1,460 land assets, were recorded.

Nine people were left homeless in the municipality of Almada, Setúbal, and seven in Santo Tirso, Porto, due to the fall of trees due to bad weather, the civil protection commander told Lusa.

"In Almada nine evacuated people were, however, relocated by the social services of the Almada City Council, and in Santo Tirso seven people were displaced and are in family homes accompanied by municipal services," said Rui Laranjeira.

According to the commander, the two situations are related to the fall of trees on the dwellings, with no injuries to register.