Scores of road accidents, widespread flooding and endless traffic misery has been the consequence of the horrendous weather conditions currently bearing down on Lisbon.
In the space of less than 24 hours, firemen and rescue workers have been alerted to 200 emergencies, 80 involving flooding and over 50 involving road accidents.
Last night, the tunnel near Benfica stadium began filling with water, forcing drivers to climb on their vehicles’ roofs to wait for rescue, while elsewhere a hole appeared in the middle of the 2ª Circular causing damage to the 11 cars that drove into it.
All over the capital, conditions were under a state of siege, with a section of the Sacavém/ Benfica stretch reported to have risen up “like a volcano”.
With the Met Office predicting more misery to come, it is a fitting scenario for the fierce debate due on the Mayor of Lisbon’s idea to charge visitors to the capital a tourist tax.
Many would argue that with roads and underground drains in the state that they are at the moment, anyone brave enough to venture into the capital would be better served with a tax refund.
