Lisbon, Feb. 12, 2026 (Lusa) - The Portuguese Minister of Infrastructure and Housing, Miguel Pinto Luz, has acknowledged that it will take several weeks to repair the section of motorway (the A1) that collapsed after the Mondego River dyke in Casais, Coimbra, burst.
During a visit to the site on Wednesday evening, Pinto Luz emphasised to journalists "the speed and violence of the waters", which he described as "an absolutely abnormal situation".
The rupture in the infrastructure was caused by the bursting of the dyke and subsequent erosion of the embankment next to the northern junction of the Mondego C viaduct, due to an exceptional flow of more than 2,100 cubic metres of water per second, explained BCR - Brisa Concessão Rodoviária, the road concessionnaire.
"We currently have 15 lorries with rockfill to reinforce the breach that has appeared. Tomorrow (Thursday) morning, more lorries will arrive to reinforce with rockfill," said Pinto Luz, quoted by RTP TV news.
The use of rockfill, compacted rock blocks, "is the only thing we can do until the waters recede," said the minister.
Pinto Luz also said that the crack, running north-south, "could spread" in the other direction.
The minister added that "until the water recedes, no fundamental repairs can be made".
"It will certainly take weeks to get this infrastructure back into service for the Portuguese people," said Pinto Luz.
"The government is fully committed to this solution. We have mobilised all our resources and will not leave here until we have managed, with all our teams, to get the A1 back up and traffic running," the minister assured.
Brisa, the road concessionnaire, has suggested that motorists use alternatives to the North-South motorway disruption at the Coimbra Sul junction, at kilometre 191, via the A8/A17/A25 corridor or the IC2.
In a statement sent to newsrooms on Thursday, the concessionaire said that, "as it is not possible at this time to estimate when the repair work will be completed," it is committed to "minimising disruption" and that "the A8/A17/A25 corridor or the IC2 may be used as alternative routes."
Sixteen people have died in Portugal as a result of the Kristin, Leonardo and Marta storms, which also left many hundreds injured and homeless.
The sixteenth victim is a 72-year-old man who fell on 28 January while repairing the roof of a relative's house in the district of Pombal and died on Tuesday at the University of Coimbra Hospitals.
The total or partial destruction of houses, businesses and equipment, the fall of trees and structures, the closure of roads, schools and transport services, and the cutting of power, water and communications, floods and extreme rainfall are the main material consequences of the storms.
The Central, Lisbon and Tagus Valley and Alentejo regions are the most affected.
The government has extended the state of emergency until the 15th for 68 districts and announced support measures of up to €2.5 billion.
VQ/AYLS // AYLS
Lusa
