As you may have heard a devastating storm hit the island of Madeira on the 20th of February 2010. Heavy rains and strong winds battered the island in the early morning. In many parts the rich soil had reached its saturation point in less the 3 hours causing the landslides that were the main source of destruction in the event. The effect was compounded when debris clogged the island’s drainage systems and water spilled from man made canals and rivers known as levadas and ribeiras respectively.
A total of 48 lives were lost with 8 more people still reported as missing. Sixty families were left without a home to return to and the majority of Funchal businesses remain closed at the time of writing. The total financial estimation is expected on Friday but there have already been reports that it will take a minimum of 2 years for Madeira to be rebuilt to its former glory. Speculations see the impact on Madeira’s tourism be around 5 years but with the world’s fluctuating economy it’s really anybodies guess. Three days of national mourning were held for the victims of the this tragedy.
The below photos show a fraction of the aftermath of the storm in Funchal and a couple photos of the damage to a close friend’s property.
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