A 78-year-old man was rescued alive on Wednesday morning after being swept away by a overflowing stream in the Funchal parish of São Roque, Madeira.
The victim had been reported missing during the height of a storm that brought severe weather conditions to the archipelago.
The man was discovered trapped inside a flooded garage on Caminho da Igreja Velha. The rescue required a specialized swift-water team from the Bombeiros Voluntários Madeirenses to cross the hazardous conditions. According to the Serviço Regional de Proteção Civil, the man is currently in safety and receiving care from emergency teams.
The operation, which took place around 7:30 a.m., successfully extracted the man after he had been missing since approximately 6:30 a.m. Following the rescue, he was transported to the Dr. Nélio Mendonça Hospital for medical assessment. While he appeared physically stable, rescue personnel noted he was at risk of hypothermia due to his time spent in the water.
“Fisicamente, aparentemente está bem. Claro que esteve algum tempo dentro de água e é possível que apresente sinais de hipotermia. Mas o senhor está vivo, objectivo conseguido,” said an operational rescue worker.
The incident occurred as the island grapples with the aftermath of the depression known as Charles. The SIC Notícias reported that the regional civil protection services recorded 137 weather-related incidents between 8:00 p.m. and 6:30 a.m. These events included widespread flooding, fallen trees, and rockslides that forced the closure of multiple roadways and restricted access to the center of Funchal.
The intensity of the storm was marked by wind gusts reaching 130 kilometers per hour. While the red weather warning was lifted at 6:00 a.m., the island remains under an orange alert. Authorities have implemented several precautionary measures, including the closure of schools and non-essential services until 1:00 p.m. today.
Additionally, all pedestrian trails, museums, and gardens remain closed, and maritime operations have been significantly disrupted, with the cancellation of three cruise ship calls and the Lobo Marinho ferry service between Madeira and Porto Santo.
The Polícia de Segurança Pública (PSP) located the man after hearing his voice, leading to his rescue by a swift-water rescue team in a flooded garage. Officers from the PSP were able to locate the individual after hearing his voice from within the flooded structure.
The current situation in Madeira remains dynamic. While the immediate rescue was successful, authorities continue to manage the aftermath of the severe weather, and the full extent of property damage remains under assessment as cleanup efforts proceed across the affected regions.
