One dead in Portugal floods as cyclist swept away

February 15, 2016 | 14:53

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A cyclist died in floods in northern Portugal after being swept away by a river, emergency services said on Sunday, as storms battered the country.

A father and his son run to shelter from the rain near a flooded road in Arzila, near Coimbra in central Portugal. (AFP/Francisco Leong)

LISBON: A cyclist died in floods in northern Portugal after being swept away by a river, emergency services said on Sunday (Feb 14), as storms battered the country.

Floods, landslides and fallen trees caused disruption to road and rail links across Portugal including the main north to south train line.

The man's body was recovered by firefighters from the northern town of Albergaria-a-Velha some 24 hours after he was reported missing. He had been cycling along a flooded road when he was swept away by the River Vouga.

"There has been one death among the 1,670 incidents registered nationwide since Friday," national civil protection commander Jose Manuel Moura said.

On Saturday, the Agueda river flooded part of the northern city of the same name while in central Coimbra the Mondego river flooded a 13th century monastery.

Ten regions were placed on alert on Sunday although weather conditions were expected to ease on Monday.

AFP

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