Georgia saddened over deadly forest fires in Portugal

The Georgian Foreign Ministry has released a statement expressing its condolences regarding a catastrophic forest fire in Portugal that has claimed at least 62 lives.

"During these difficult moments, the Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs conveys its condolences to the people of Portugal and stands by the families of those killed and injured,” the statement reads.

There were four children among the victims of the fires that started yesterday, the BBC reported.

Most died while trying to flee the Pedrogao Grande area, 50 km south-east of Coimbra, in their cars, according to the Portuguese government.

Hundreds of firefighters tried to tackle the blaze, which had spread across several fronts.

Prime Minister Antonio Costa called it "the greatest tragedy we have seen in recent years in terms of forest fires."

The death toll could rise further as many people remain missing, he warned.