Watch: 2.2 million litres of red wine flow down streets in Portugal

A coastal village in Portugal witnessed something unusual on Sunday when millions of litres of red wine flowed down the streets after two tanks at a distillery burst. The 2.2 million litres of wine, which was enough to fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool, flooded nearby roads and raised environmental concerns, according to media reports.

In a video of the incident, shared widely on social media, a river of red wine is seen flowing through the streets much to the locals’ surprise.

The incident took place in the small town of Sao Lorenco de Bairro in Portugal on Sunday when two tanks of the Levira Distillery burst, releasing 2.2 million litres of red wine onto the streets. The distillery is located on a slope that caused the liquid to gush down the town, according to the Portuguese newspaper Diário de Coimbra.

The wine did not lead to injuries but caused material damage and flooded nearby areas, including at least one cellar. Authorities, meanwhile, feared that it could contaminate the nearby Certima River if the flow is not diverted. The Anadia Fire Department took measures to make sure that the wine didn’t enter the river and diverted it into fields, local media reported.

Levira Distillery later released a statement announcing that it would cover the cost of cleaning up the area and repairing the damage caused, reported The Telegraph.

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