Web Summit cancels second day in Lisbon due to Storm Charles

Organisers of the Web Summit technology conference in Lisbon cancelled events scheduled for Wednesday after Portuguese authorities advised against holding them because of severe weather. France 24, Euronews, and irishtimes.com all reported that the decision was taken due to safety risks from Storm Charles. The Irish Times reported that the conference brought around 70,000 people to the Portuguese capital. [1][2][4][8][9][10]

Euronews reported that an email sent to attendees stated the Portuguese government formally advised that the second day of the event should not take place. France 24 and Euronews both reported that authorities cited risks including tidal flooding, severe disruption to public transport, high winds, and potential impacts on external structures. France 24 noted that winds were expected to reach up to 120 km/h on Wednesday afternoon. [1][4]

The Irish Times reported that the announcement to cancel Wednesday events came shortly after 7.30pm on Tuesday. The mayor of Lisbon had stated earlier that everything indicated the conference would not be able to function on Wednesday. The Irish Times also reported that Prime Minister Luís Montenegro held a press conference regarding the weather conditions, as Portugal placed the nation under a state of alert ahead of overlapping storms named Bruna and Charles. [2]

As FTMQ News reported earlier, Portuguese authorities put Madeira and mainland areas on warning ahead of the storm, predicting heavy rain, power cuts, and falling trees. Euronews reported that parts of Madeira were placed under a red alert due to forecasted rain, thunder, six-metre waves, and wind gusts up to 130 km/h. [4][7][11]