From: Xinhua News
News Link: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-06/25/content_11597460.htm
Deforested area in Brazil's Amazon rainforest was 123 square km in May, down 88 percent from the same period last year, according to a study released on Wednesday.
However, the deforestation in May was higher than the monthly average of 65.7 square km for the period from February to April, said the study done by the National Institute for Space Research (Inpe).
The satellites over the Amazon rainforest managed to have visualized only 38 percent of the area in May due to thick clouds.
The midwest Mato Grosso state registered the largest deforested area of 61.2 square km, almost half of the total devastated area, because of higher visibility in the region, said the study.
Rainforest in Rondonia and Para states, which saw the highest deforestation rates in the previous months, contracted by 11.7 and 10.5 square km respectively.
Since August last year, a total of 2,957 square km of rainforest have been lost, according to official figures.