20 homes ‘hit’ in Albergaria-a-Velha, 3 in Gondomar
Two people have been confirmed dead today as a result of the raging wildfires across the north and centre of the country.
Several homes have been either ‘hit’ or ‘consumed’.
A ‘situation report’ is almost certain to come later (possibly around 8pm or 10pm), at which point the total in terms of damages will come clearer.
But as of 5pm this afternoon, Lusa has reported the 20 homes ‘hit’ are in Albergaria-a-Velha and the further three ‘consumed’ in Gondomar.
The incidents have left several people homeless, exact numbers not given.
Four people have also been hurt and are in hospital in Aveiro and Coimbra.
At least one is a firefighter injured in an “explosion/ projection”.
Following on from the tragic sudden death yesterday of firefighter João Silva, there has now been the report of two more deaths – one (a person ‘carbonised’), according to RTP, a young Brazilian forestry worker trying to recover a vehicle; the other a citizen who suffered a heart attack.
A source for ANEPC (the national emergency and civil protection authority) has said that several children have been attended in hospitals today, due to respiratory problems caused by the build-up of ash and smoke in many areas.
Following on from the prime minister’s cancellation of his official agenda today, a number of other government members have cancelled their interventions too, as the nation’s focus now is on getting through to Wednesday without more tragedy.
News stories through the day have described flames ‘circling’ villages; firefighters having to ‘re-position’; incidents where people felt they were ‘left on their own’ just with buckets and hoses – the reality is that when the country is ‘attacked from all sides’ like this, firefighters cannot be everywhere: there aren’t enough of them.
Habitually, NASA satellites have started ‘capturing Portugal’s blazes’ from space:
President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, has expressed her solidarity with Portugal, and talked of the need for a debate to evaluate the ‘readiness of European response’ when member states suffer catastrophic emergencies.
The Oliveira de Azeméis municipal kennels has sent out an appeal for 170 collars (and leads) as it hasn’t the means to evacuate its animals en masse. The kennels, which takes in stray dogs from the boroughs of Azeméis, Arouca, Espinho, Santa Maria da Feira, São João da Madeira and Vale de Cambra, is not close to any approaching front for the time being – but does not want to be caught out if the situation changes.
There are now five major fires just in the district of Aveiro, involving 1,200 firefighters, 390-odd vehicles and 12 helicopters.
Considering fogos.pt is not considered to be a website that is ‘always completely up to date’, the number of incidents already logged indicates the ‘chaos’ ongoing. A member of the public in Albergaria-a-Velha has just told SIC Notícias that what he saw over two hours this morning was “like a horror film”: homes/ vehicles/ tractors/ supermarkets even, consumed by flames from “one minute to the next”.
SIC Notícias has just confirmed that the number of active fires in Portugal right now is up from the earlier count by Civil Protection of 36 to 40.
The mayor of Baião (Porto district) confirms ‘several houses hit by flames’ – some of them abandoned. “I have never seen anything like it”, he told SIC, suggesting the situation at the moment is “uncontrollable”. This particular fire began in Gôve, and quickly spread to the parishes of Ancede, Santa Cruz do Douro, Grilo, Santa Leocádia and Mesquinhata.
RTP has also described houses affected in Vila Pouca de Aguiar.
Fidelidade insurance company has actioned an ’emergency plan’ to support customers affected.
Civil Protection commander André Fernandes has announced that there are currently 11 fires causing the greatest concerns at the moment, the one in Albergaria-a-Velha being the ‘worst’ in that it has several fronts and has spread to every parish in the municipality. The one ‘positive’ is that, for the time being, the wind has dropped, and this may help firefighters make inroads through the night.
