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Portugal forest fire death toll hits 19

Countries
Portugal
Sources
Reuters
Publication date

LISBON, Sept 17 (Reuters) - The death toll from a wave of forest fires in Portugal has reached 19 as hundreds of firefighters worked to prevent an upsurge in blazes, officials said on Wednesday.

Commander Antonio Gualdino of the National Emergency Operations Centre said the burned body of a man was found late on Tuesday near Monchique, in coastal mountains about 200 km (124 miles) south of Lisbon.

"He had been missing since Friday, and was found by relatives about 300 metres (yards) from his home," Gualdino said.

Fires have raged across Portugal amid unusually high temperatures and weeks of drought this summer, with the government declaring a state of emergency in July.

About 11 percent of Portugal's forests had been destroyed by fires in the year to the end of August, according to the latest tally by the Agriculture Ministry.