Severe hailstorm damages harvest worth more than 20 million dollars in northern Portugal

A devastating hailstorm lashed parts of northern Portugal on Sunday, May 31, 2020, causing more than 20 million dollars' worth of damage to this year's fruit harvest.

Areas in the north, including around Viseu and Fundao, Castelo Branco, Belmonte, Covilha, and Penamacor bore the brunt of hail, rains, and winds. Motorways 

The storm also led to localized flooding which brought motorways to a stop, but the worst aftermath was the damage it inflicted on this year's fruit crops, including vines.

According to local media Portugal Resident, this was the third time in four early summers that the northern region has been pummeled by devastating, short-lived storms.

Authorities have promptly appealed for financial assistance as the cost, in terms of the local economy, will be otherwise too much to bear.

"We’re talking about a situation of extreme gravity," said Fundao city council president Paulo Fernandes. "This is something terrible and a very tough moment."

Fernandes added that agriculture in his village brings in more than 100 million dollars every year. If every and all lines of support will not be ready, he said the area's future may be "at risk for many years to come."

Featured image credit: Jornal do Fundao/YouTube