LISBON, June 18 (Xinhua) -- The number of people killed in forest fires raging in central Portugal has risen to 57, with 59 others injured, according to Portuguese Lusa News Agency on Sunday.
Among the victims, 18 died in their cars when the fires swept over a road between the towns of Figueiro dos Vinhos and Castanheira de Pera, and three others died from smoke inhalation in Figueiro dos Vinhos, said State Secretary of Internal Affairs Ministry Jorge Gomes.
The number of casualties is likely to rise.
The fires broke out later Saturday in Pedrogao Grande, located some 150 km northeast of Lison, and quickly spread to the towns of Figueird dos Vinhos and Castanheira de Pera in the district of Leiria where some 600 firefighters with more than 470 vehicles are trying to put out the fires.
Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa was at the disaster area to oversee the rescue operation on Saturday night and comforted the injured in the fires.
Firefighting crews were having difficulties in approaching Pedrogao Grande because the fires were "very intense," said Prime Minister Antonio Costa, calling the disaster the worst catastrophic incident that has occurred in Portugal in recent years.
Spanish rescuers are assisting in efforts to control the blazes with two water-bombing planes dispatched on Sunday morning, he said.
The huge fires had been caused by dry lightning, Almeida Rodrigues, director of the Portuguese criminal investigation police (PJ), told news media.
"The PJ has managed to determine the origin of the fires and everything clearly points towards natural causes. We have even managed to find the tree that was struck by the lightning," Rodrigues said.
A dry thunderstorm is a storm with thunder and lightning, with most or all the rain evaporating before reaching the ground.
A period of national mourning will be announced shortly, according to Prime Minister Costa.
