2010 Madeira floods and mudslides

The rainfall was associated with an active cold front and an Atlantic low-pressure area that was over the Azores and moved northeastwards on 19 February 2010.

This storm was one in a series of such storms that affected Spain, Portugal, Morocco and the Canary Islands with flooding, rain and high winds. These storms were bolstered by an unusually strong temperature contrast of the sea surface across the Atlantic Ocean. Abnormally warm waters had been widespread off West Africa whereas relatively cold surface waters had stretched between western Europe and the southeastern United States.{{citation | url = http://www.accuweather.com/world-news-story.asp?partner=accuweather&article=8 | title = More on Deadly Medeira Flashing Flooding | publisher = Accuweather.com | accessdate = 22 February 2010}}

The storm was exacerbated by the eruption cloud of the Soufrière Hills volcano.Yim et al. in deWind (2010) "Volcanoes and storms." Geoscientist Vol. 20 No. 6, pages 11–12

The floods and mudslides were the result of an extreme weather event that, in some places, dropped more than double the monthly average of rainfall in a very short period. Between 6 a.m. and 11 a.m. local time (and UTC), 108 mm (4¼ inches) of rain was recorded at Funchal weather station and 165 mm (6½ inches) of rain at the weather station on Pico do Arieiro.{{Citation | url = http://www.meteo.pt/pt/otempo/comunicados/index.jsp | title = Temporal no Arquipélago da Madeira | language=Portuguese | newspaper = Instituto de Meteorologia, I.P. Portugal | date = 20 February 2010 | accessdate = 22 February 2010}} The average rainfall in Funchal for the whole of February is 88.0 mm (3½ inches).{{citation | url = http://www.worldclimate.com/cgi-bin/data.pl?ref=N32W016+2100+08521W | title = Weather station FUNCHAL/S.CATARINA Average Rainfall | publisher = worldclimate.com | accessdate = 22 February 2010}}

File:Mud Ocean Madeira 2010.JPG

Damage was confined to the south of the island.{{citation | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8526700.stm | title = Britons in Madeira warned after deadly floods | publisher = BBC News | date = 21 February 2010}}

The city of Funchal was heavily damaged by landslides. In one instance, mud and water gushed down a city street over cars and buildings.{{cite news|url=http://www.torontosun.com/news/world/2010/02/20/12962181.html|title=Dozens dead in Portuguese floods|date=20 February 2010|newspaper=Toronto Sun|accessdate=20 February 2010}} Communications were seriously disrupted across the island.{{cite news | url=http://www.ionline.pt/conteudo/47645-mau-tempo-na-madeira-ja-provocou-pelo-menos-sete-mortos | title=Mau tempo na Madeira já provocou pelo menos 31 mortos | publisher=I Online | date=20 February 2010 | access-date=20 February 2010 | archive-date=22 February 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100222025647/http://www.ionline.pt/conteudo/47645-mau-tempo-na-madeira-ja-provocou-pelo-menos-sete-mortos | url-status=dead }}{{cite news | url=http://www.publico.clix.pt/Sociedade/alberto-joao-jardim-confirma-30-mortos-na-madeira_1423632 | title=Alberto João Jardim confirma 30 mortos na Madeira | language=Portuguese | newspaper=Público | date=20 February 2010 | access-date=20 February 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924083113/http://www.publico.clix.pt/Sociedade/alberto-joao-jardim-confirma-30-mortos-na-madeira_1423632 | archive-date=24 September 2015 | url-status=dead | df=dmy-all }}{{cite news | url=http://www.publico.pt/Sociedade/populacao-sem-agua-electricidade-e-telefone-esta-preocupada-com-a-situacao_1423634 | title=População sem água, electricidade e telefone está preocupada com a situação | newspaper=Público | language=Portuguese | date=20 February 2010 | access-date=20 February 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100223210711/http://www.publico.pt/Sociedade/populacao-sem-agua-electricidade-e-telefone-esta-preocupada-com-a-situacao_1423634 | archive-date=23 February 2010 | url-status=dead | df=dmy-all }}

Amid the destruction, the airport was closed, bridges were washed away, and one man saw his family swept off by the waters.{{cite news | url=http://www.thisisjersey.com/2010/02/20/over-30-reported-dead-in-madeira-mudslides/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100223191414/http://www.thisisjersey.com/2010/02/20/over-30-reported-dead-in-madeira-mudslides/ | archive-date=23 February 2010 | title=Over 30 reported dead in Madeira mudslides | date=20 February 2010 | publisher=Jersey Evening Post | accessdate=20 February 2010}}{{cite news | url=http://www.rnw.nl/english/article/severe-weather-kills-32-madeira | title=Severe weather kills 32 in Madeira | date=20 February 2010 | publisher=Radio Netherlands Worldwide | accessdate=20 February 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100223001714/http://www.rnw.nl/english/article/severe-weather-kills-32-madeira | archive-date=23 February 2010 | url-status=dead }}{{cite news | url=http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2010/02/2010220174931512140.html | title=Deadly rains lash Portuguese island | date=20 February 2010 | publisher=Al Jazeera | accessdate=20 February 2010}} One hotel manager commented, "This was worse than the last really big storm in 1993. We have been told that three inches of rain fell in an hour. I saw a new BMW floating past the end of my street today."{{cite news | author=Colin Freeman and Nick Meo | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/portugal/7280265/At-least-25-killed-in-Madeira-storms.html | archive-url=https://archive.today/20130505124109/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/portugal/7280265/At-least-25-killed-in-Madeira-storms.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=5 May 2013 | title=At least 25 killed in Madeira storms | date=20 February 2010 | newspaper=The Daily Telegraph | accessdate=20 February 2010}}

As of 2020, five families still do not have a permanent home.

Portuguese Prime Minister José Sócrates said he was "absolutely saddened and shocked with the images, with the consequences of this calamity."{{citation | title = Portugal rushes aid to Madeira after deadly floods | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8526679.stm | publisher = BBC News | date = 21 February 2010}} He promised the government would provide help to ensure Madeira could begin recovery work as quickly as possible.{{cite news | url = https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/feb/21/madeira-floods-death-toll-rises | title = Madeira floods: death toll rises to 40 | newspaper = The Guardian | date = 21 February 2010 | accessdate = 11 March 2010}} Sócrates and Interior Minister Rui Pereira planned a flight to the island to examine and evaluate the damages and to coordinate aid efforts with the local autonomous government of Alberto João Jardim. Local government authorities made temporary shelters available for the homeless, estimated in the hundreds. The Portuguese military sent a naval frigate, containing medical equipment and a helicopter, to Madeira. However, the Portuguese government declined to declare a state of emergency in the region, which would have made them eligible to obtain funds from the European Union, saying, “We don’t need anything from Brussels. We know exactly what we will do. We don’t need any help; we will solve our problems.”{{cite news|url=http://www.theportugalnews.com/cgi-bin/article.pl?id=1093-9|title=February - Madeira floods|date=1 January 2011|work=The Portugal News|accessdate=19 February 2012}}

The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office reported that five Britons sustained injuries, and one is missing.{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8526700.stm | title=Briton 'missing' in Madeira floods | date=21 February 2010 | work=BBC News | accessdate=21 February 2010}} As of 26 February, Portuguese official sources reported 42 dead and 8 missing, of whom only one was a tourist.{{cite news | url=http://www.jornaldamadeira.pt/not2008.php?Seccao=17&id=146075&sdata=2010-02-27 | date=27 February 2010 | title=Prejuízos são de 1,4 mil milhões | publisher=Jornal da Madeira | accessdate=27 February 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726165843/http://www.jornaldamadeira.pt/not2008.php?Seccao=17&id=146075&sdata=2010-02-27 | archive-date=26 July 2011 | url-status=dead | df=dmy-all }}

Reconstruction and cleaning work started a few hours after the rainfall. On the same day, several dozen units of heavy machinery and trucks were seen in the streets of Funchal and other major affected sites, cleaning streets as well as rocks and mud accumulated in the "ribeiras". In the next few days this number peaked to several hundred heavy units and trucks operating in all affected sites. In spite of some access restrictions in the centre of Funchal and some other parts of the island, all services were soon fully functional and normal life was restored. No tourist resorts were affected by the event, except for a few small hotels inland where some blocked roads caused access restrictions. While full restoration of all affected infrastructure may take up to a few years and cost around {{nowrap|€1.4 billion}}, most of the island is fully functional.

In support of the flood victims, Real Madrid footballer and noted Madeiran Cristiano Ronaldo pledged to play in a charity match in Madeira, between the Portuguese Liga club Porto and players from Madeiran-based Portuguese Liga clubs C.S. Marítimo and Nacional.{{cite news|url=https://af.reuters.com/article/sportsNews/idAFJOE61L09O20100222 |title=Ronaldo to play in charity match for Madeira |work=Reuters |date=22 February 2010 |accessdate=22 February 2010 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120119064041/http://af.reuters.com/article/sportsNews/idAFJOE61L09O20100222 |archivedate=19 January 2012 |url-status=dead |df=dmy }}

On 7 March 2010, the Mota-Engil group announced that it would make an investment of {{nowrap|€1.2 million}} to build 10 houses for those who were made homeless as a result of the floods.{{cite news | url=http://www.publico.pt/Local/motaengil-constroi-10-moradias-para-desalojados-da-madeira_1425981 | title=Mota-Engil constrói 10 moradias para desalojados da Madeira | newspaper=Público | language=Portuguese | date=7 March 2010 | accessdate=11 March 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111001231935/http://www.publico.pt/Local/motaengil-constroi-10-moradias-para-desalojados-da-madeira_1425981 | archive-date=1 October 2011 | url-status=dead | df=dmy-all }}

{{Reflist|2}}

{{Commons category|20 February 2010 floods and mudslides in Madeira}}

• [https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&ie=UTF8&msa=0&ll=32.73935,-17.025375&spn=0.257015,0.676346&z=11&lci=com.google.webcams&msid=110388565041499761103.00048008ae394a5290bc7 Map with interactive and updated information on the events in Madeira]
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXjb5QBb9TA YouTube short movie with mudslide and flooding images]
• [http://www.torontosun.com/news/world/2010/02/20/12962181.html Image] from the Toronto Sun
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20100224065249/http://www.fotopedia.com/en/2010_Madeira_floods_and_mudslides Floods and mudslides pictures by locals]

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Madeira floods and mudslides, 2010}}

Category:Landslides in Europe

Category:Natural disasters in Portugal

Category:2010 floods in Europe

Category:History of Madeira

Category:Landslides in 2010

Category:February 2010 in Portugal

Category:2010 disasters in Portugal