Moment fast-moving rivers of wine floods village as 2.2million litre tanks burst

11 September 2023 , 17:56

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Moment fast-moving rivers of wine floods village as 2.2million litre tanks burst

This is the moment a flood of red wine surged down a street in Portugal after two massive tanks with enough booze to fill a swimming pool burst.

Winemakers Levira Distillery were due to bottle the 2.2 million litres when the giant tanks suddenly gave way in Sao Lourenco do Bairro on September 10. Video footage showed a huge, fast-moving river of red wine flowing down a hill and around a bend as baffled locals look on.

The flood was so massive it triggered an eco alert to stop it from contaminating the nearby Certima River. Distillers Levira said they later dredged the wine-soaked land.

Wine flooding the streets of Anadia, Portugal (CEN)

The distillers responsible said they were dredging the wine-soaked land (CEN)

Anadia Fire Department blocked off the flood and diverted it away from the river, where it ran harmlessly into a field, reports local media. One basement in a home near the distillery was flooded with wine , said firefighters. Levira apologised for the drama and said the wine-soaked soil had been taken to a special treatment plant.

They said: "We assume full responsibility for the costs associated with cleaning and repairing the damage, having teams available to do so immediately. We are committed to resolving this situation as quickly as possible." Experts say the amount of wine lost is equivalent to an Olympic-sized swimming pool which holds 2.5 million liters (2.5 megalitres) of water.

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In 2020, a Spanish winery lost around 50,000 litres of red wine after a tank was damaged. Dramatic footage posted on social media showed a huge quantity of wine flooding outside the Vitivinos wineries, located in Villamalea, Albacete.

The clip showed not only the place where the container burst, but also the floor full of red wine. The footage was posted by local radio Albacete on and went viral. It was reportedly filmed by employees who were unable to act and stop the spillage.

Ryan Fahey