When rivers climb theirs banks. A brief portrait of the 5 January 2001 floods in the municipalities of Braga and Guimarães

Abstract

The winter of2000-2001 will certainly be remembered as one of the most catastrophic in our country, due to the high amount of precipitation, as well as to the abnormally extensive rainy weather periods. In the north part of the country, and especially in Minho region, the examples of Cávado river, with flooding in Prado (Vila Verde) and in Padim da Graça (Braga), as well as of Ave river, with flooding in Caldas das Taipas (Guimarães), but most important, an inedited situation occurred when Este river, flooded affected several factories Celeirós Industrial Park (Braga) and caused road traffic cuts during most part of the day should be emphasized, as well as elected as examples for further reflection regarding hydrologic risks issue, namely flooding risks.