Leiria, Portugal, March 19, 2026 (Lusa) - Leiria City Council is replacing more than 4,500 road signs and repairing dozens of traffic lights damaged by Storm Kristin, which hit the municipality two months ago.
"The Municipality of Leiria is restoring road signs damaged by Storm Kristin, an investment of €843,000, having identified more than 4,500 road signs and dozens of locations with damaged traffic lights throughout the municipality," the council stated in a press release sent to the Lusa agency.
According to the local authority, the measure aims to "restore safety conditions for vehicles and pedestrians which were affected by signs that were knocked down, tilted, damaged, or completely rendered useless, whether due to strong winds, heavy rain, or falling trees."
"With a total cost of €550,206.28, road signs on the municipality's main roads have been replaced, with the same process underway on secondary roads, expected to be completed in the second week of April."
Regarding traffic lights, "the intervention includes removing at-risk equipment, supplying and/or replacing components, repairing and exchanging controllers, and conducting tests and calibrations to ensure the systems return to normal."
"The work, also underway and expected to be completed by mid-May, involves an investment of just over €290,000 and may lead to occasional traffic constraints," the municipality warned.
Councillor Carlos Palheira, who holds the portfolio for traffic and road safety, told Lusa that the municipality's seat, the Union of Parishes of Leiria, Pousos, Barreira, and Cortes, was the most affected.
At least 19 people have died in Portugal, six of whom in the municipality of Leiria, since 28 January, following storms Kristin, Leonardo, and Marta, which also left hundreds injured, homeless, and displaced. More than half of the deaths were recorded during recovery work.
The storms, which hit mainland Portugal for three weeks, caused the total or partial destruction of thousands of homes, businesses, and facilities, felling trees and structures, cutting power, water, and communication, and causing floods, with damage amounting to billions of euros.
The Central, Lisbon and Tagus Valley, and Alentejo regions were the most affected.
SR/RYOL // ADB.
Lusa
