Wine flood submerges Portuguese town after 2.2 million-litre tanks bursts

Portugal experienced an unusual flood of red wine when approximately 2.2 million litres burst from storage tanks on September 10, flowing downhill through the town of Sao Lourenco do Bairro in central Anadia. The wine combined with the natural slope of the area created a startling spectacle reminiscent of a forest river, much to the bewilderment of the locals.

The wine flood was so severe that environmental agencies were alerted to prevent the wine from contaminating the Certima River, which could pose a risk to the local community. The cause of the incident is still under investigation. The Anadia Fire Department swiftly deployed officers to block off the flood and divert the wine away from the river. The 2.2 million litres of red wine subsequently flowed into a field.

Local media reported that the basement of a nearby house was filled with red wine. Levira Distillery, responsible for the flood of wine, issued an apology for the incident, stating that they would expedite the removal of the wine-soaked soil to a special treatment facility. The distillery immediately put out a press release.

“We take full responsibility for the associated cleaning and repair costs, with teams ready to act immediately. We are committed to resolving this situation as quickly as possible.”

Experts equate the amount of wine lost in the flood to an Olympic-sized swimming pool capable of holding 2.5 million litres. A winery in Spain suffered a similar incident, losing about 50,000 litres of wine, reported KhaoSod.

Liquid spills have the potential to pose a significant threat to ecosystems. Recently and more locally, the waters of the Sri Racha coast were contaminated by an oil spill, with an estimated 45,000 litres of crude oil seeping into the sea. This incident has sparked concerns about the extent of environmental damage in the affected area.

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