‘Record after record’: Brazil’s Amazon deforestation hits April high, nearly double previous peak

Climate analysts are astounded by such a high reading during the rainy season, and is the third monthly record this year

Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon surged to record levels for the month of April, nearly doubling the area of forest removed in that month last year - the previous April record - preliminary government data has shown, alarming environmental campaigners.

In the first 29 days of April, deforestation in the region totalled 1,012.5 square km (390 square miles), according to data from national space research agency Inpe on Friday. The agency, which has compiled the monthly data series since 2015/2016, will report data for the final day of April next week.