Over a month after fires swept through trees and villages in Portugal's forested north, two men are still missing - one is presumed to be buried under a collapsed house.
The police are still investigating what happened to two men, missing since the fires of 15 October and have the support of their forensic teams but no trace of the men has been found.
One of the men, aged 49, is from the village of Folgosinho in Gouveia, while the other, 74, is from Sertã.
Célia Costa, the sister of Rui Costa from Folgosinho, said on her Facebook page under a picture, “This is my brother Rui Costa, 49. He was reported missing on the dawn of October 16, after a fire of enormous proportions surrounded the town of Folgosinho, in the municipality of Gouveia, Serra da Estrela. The authorities, family and friends have looked for him but without success or any indication of what might have happened."
Rui Costa's sister says she has posted on social media "in the hope" that the 49-year-old man has "fled, and is in shock."
The 74-year-old man from Sertã and his brother were trying to put out flames that swept through their house in Trovisca, and may have been burnt to death.
"These are wooden houses and as soon as the man went up to one of the floors, the floorboards broke under his weight, according to his brother. He still tried to give him his hand, but he could not grab it," said local councillor, António Simões.
As for compensation for their families, there won’t be any until a body, or the remains of a body is found or either of the men turns up alive.
The clock is ticking as in a few days’ time the compensation rules and regulations will be published by the government which, if this process runs true to form, will try and exclude as many people as possible.
