Portugal has been rocked by a deadly ‘fire tornado’ as wildfires sweep the country
Chilling photos have captured the terrifying moment a fire tornado violently erupted in Portugal, leaving a path of destruction behind. Wildfires are raging across various parts of Europe as an intense heatwave grips the continent, pushing temperatures above 40C.
Portugal’s northern region of Aguiar de Beira, increasingly popular with tourists, is one of the areas hit hardest. A fire tornado tore through the region, incinerating everything in its path and causing widespread damage.
Fire tornados, which form when the air around a fire spins into a vortex due to intense heat, are rare.
Social media footage reveals the horrifying moment the rapidly spinning inferno struck.
The fire tornado can be seen forcefully twirling, spewing out bursts of flames, while black smoke fills the air and the sky turns a fluorescent orange. Locals scramble to find shelter and escape the whirling vortex of fire and flames in scenes reminiscent of an apocalyptic event, reports the Express.
Nearly 4,000 firefighters have been deployed by Portuguese authorities in an attempt to control and extinguish the rampant wildfires. The government has also extended its high-risk alert for at least another 24 hours until Sunday.
The death of the former mayor of Vila Franca has now been officially confirmed, following the recovery of his body on Friday. Carlos Dâmaso tragically perished whilst assisting in battling a blaze that erupted in Pêra do Moço, within the Guarda municipality.
His passing was verified by current parish council president Sérgio Costa, who informed “O Interior” media that two additional individuals had sustained severe injuries, with one requiring transfer to a Coimbra hospital.
Mr Dâmaso remained active in local politics and was campaigning for the parish council in the October elections as an independent candidate.
Portugal, Spain, Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, Italy and Bulgaria continue to grapple with the devastating blazes that have emerged this summer.
British holidaymakers have been placed on high alert regarding wildfires ravaging the popular Spanish holiday destination of Tenerife.
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