Portuguese gov't pays 36.78 mln euros to farmers affected by deadly forest fires

LISBON, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Portuguese government said Friday it is paying 37.68 million euros (45.25 million U.S. dollars) out of a total of 50.2 million euros to farmers affected by the deadly forest fires erupted on Oct. 15.

The sum paid by the Ministry of Agriculture accounts for 75 percent of the total payment of 50.2 million euros to be made to these farmers, with the remainder to be paid later, the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry said that 55 percent of the amount "is paid directly by bank transfer to the farmers' account, the remaining 45 percent is being paid by postal order, within five working days, to 6,650 farmers who do not have a bank account".

The 37.68 million euros now paid by the Ministry of Agriculture adds to the amount of 3.78 million euros, paid by the Ministry of Labor and Social Solidarity to 6,025 farmers who recorded losses up to 1,053 euros.

In total, the government has now allocated 41.5 million euros to 20,567 farmers affected by the fires with losses of up to 5,000 euros.

The forest fires erupted in the north of Portugal on Oct. 15 killed 45 people, only four months after the most deadly forest fires in 40 years killed another 65 people in the Pedrogao Grande area in the central part of the country. Enditem