Portuguese village flooded with millions of liters of red wine

In an unexpected and unprecedented incident, São Lourenço do Bairro, a small locality within the municipality of Anadia in Portugal, witnessed its streets flooded with millions of liters of red wine this past Sunday. This peculiar event rapidly became a sensation, catching the attention of many and quickly going viral on social media platforms.

Located strategically between the cities of Aveiro and Coimbra, São Lourenço do Bairro boasts a modest population of around 2,500 residents. These very residents, astounded by the unusual occurrence, were prompt in capturing the spectacle on their mobile devices, sharing it widely across various online platforms. A collective sense of astonishment prevailed, with one prevailing question echoing amongst them: How could something like this have happened?

Following preliminary investigations, local authorities have identified the cause of the deluge. It appears that two storage tanks from the Levira Distillery suffered unexpected ruptures. As a result, over two million liters of red wine spilled out, streaming down the hillside and inundating the village streets. As of now, the specific reasons for the sudden breach of the tanks remain unclear and continue to be the subject of investigation.

The gravity of the situation was immediately recognized, and there was a potential for even more significant damages. Concerns arose about the spilled wine reaching the nearby Cértima river, which could lead to the contamination of its waters with high concentrations of alcohol. Swift and efficient response from the local authorities and fire services ensured the prevention of such an environmental catastrophe. A prompt environmental alert was issued, and measures were taken to channel the majority of the spilled wine into a nearby field, thus significantly reducing the environmental impact.

A definitely different type of flood

A river of red wine flows through São Lourenco do Bairro in Portugal when the local distillery's 2.2 million liter tanks burst

Anadia Fire Department blocked the flood diverting it away from the river into a fieldpic.twitter.com/3AhIFt5rEH

— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) September 11, 2023

Various clips and videos circulated on social media platforms, with Twitter being especially abuzz. These videos showcased the flowing red wine maneuvering through village streets, encircling vehicles, and affecting properties in its path. It's noteworthy that a house located at a lower elevation, proximate to the distillery, suffered the brunt of the incident, ending up entirely inundated with wine.

In response to the calamity, representatives from the Levira Distillery have issued a statement, acknowledging the gravity of the incident. They stated, "We fully accept the responsibility for the cleanup costs and the repairs of the damages caused." They further assured the residents and concerned parties of having the requisite resources and equipment at their disposal, committing to a swift and efficient resolution of the aftermath.