A severe heat wave has put 12 regions in Portugal on red alert, the highest level of the country's four-alert scale, said the Portuguese General Health Administration on Friday.

The 12 regions -- Braga, Oporto, Aveiro, Coimbra, Castelo Branco, Leiria, Santarem, Lisboa, Portalegre, Setubal, Evora and Beja -- make up the vast majority of the country's metropolitan territory which has a total of 18 regions.

"The red alert was declared ... because (such temperatures) can carry severe health consequences," said the health administration.

Four other regions --Viana do Castelo, Braganza, Vila Real and Viseu -- are on yellow alert, the second most serious on the scale. Only Guarda, in the north, and Faro, in the south, are enjoying normal temperatures.

The health administration repeated its recommendations announced earlier this week, urging people to protect the very old, very young and the chronically ill; to drink plenty of water or other fluids; and to avoid drinks which can lead to dehydration.

Local newspaper said last month's heat wave killed at least 41 in the country.

During the same period of 2005, 19 people died of heat-related health problems.

Source: Xinhua