Storm Claudia a powerful weather system that swept across western Europe has left a trail of devastation claiming at least three lives in Portugal and causing widespread flooding in Britain. The storm which began battering Portugal earlier in the week intensified as it moved northward bringing torrential rains gale-force winds and even tornado-like conditions to the Iberian Peninsula before reaching the UK on Saturday November 15 2025. In Portugal authorities reported the deaths of an elderly couple in their 80s found drowned in their flooded home in Fernao Ferro near Lisbon after overnight downpours overwhelmed the area. A third fatality an 85-year-old British woman occurred in Albufeira in the Algarve region where a sudden extreme wind event resembling a tornado ripped through a campsite destroying caravans and injuring dozens including children and elderly individuals from Portuguese Spanish and British nationalities. The National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority logged over 2400 weather-related incidents nationwide from Wednesday to Friday mostly involving floods fallen trees and structural damage with more than 28 people injured and 32 displaced. Districts like Setubal and Faro remained under orange alert for severe weather while power outages affected thousands of homes and businesses. Spanish regions including Andalucia also faced heavy rainfall leading to inland flooding and disrupted travel though no additional deaths were reported there. As Claudia pushed into Britain the focus shifted to severe flooding particularly in southeastern Wales where a major incident was declared in Monmouth and surrounding areas. Rescue teams from the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service conducted urgent evacuations welfare checks and boat rescues as rivers burst their banks submerging homes businesses and roads under knee-deep muddy waters. Natural Resources Wales issued 11 flood warnings including four severe ones and 17 alerts urging residents to avoid travel and prepare for potential isolation. In England the Environment Agency reported at least 20 homes flooded with 49 active warnings and 134 alerts nationwide though impacts were less widespread than in Wales. Train services were suspended roads closed and emergency barriers erected to stem the rising waters. A Welsh government spokesperson highlighted the storm’s broad effects on infrastructure noting disruptions to transport energy supplies and daily life. With colder air masses approaching the UK forecasters warned of possible snow in higher elevations exacerbating the crisis as temperatures drop below freezing in the coming days. Portugal’s President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa extended condolences to the victims’ families and praised the rapid response of emergency services while British officials including the Minister for Europe echoed support for affected communities abroad. Climate experts noted that such intense storms are becoming more frequent due to warming oceans but emphasized the need for improved flood defenses and early warning systems. As cleanup efforts begin across the region residents are advised to stay vigilant with weather alerts remaining in effect into the week.