Forest fires in Chile have claimed 46 lives and damaged about 1,100 homes, President Gabriel Boric acknowledged on Saturday, according to the Associated Press.
President Boric warned in a nationally televised address that the death toll could rise. He called on his fellow Chileans to follow the instructions of rescue workers. according to To AP.
“If you are told to evacuate, please do not hesitate to evacuate,” the president said. “The fire is progressing rapidly and weather conditions are making it difficult to control the fire. High temperatures, strong winds and low humidity.”
According to the report, Chile's Interior Minister Carolina Toja said that 92 wildfires were burning in the central and southern regions of Chile due to the unusually high temperatures in recent days. The deadliest fires are reportedly concentrated in the Valparaiso area, where authorities advised residents to stay home to allow unimpeded access for emergency vehicles such as fire trucks and ambulances. ing.
Details of casualties were reportedly not disclosed by the minister. However, she highlighted that since Friday, two large fires have broken out near Quilpue and Vila Alemana, burning more than 8,000 hectares (about 19,770 acres), the newspaper reported. One of the fires is threatening the coastal resort town of Viña del Mar, with some areas already severely damaged, the paper said.
A massive forest fire has killed at least 19 people and destroyed around 1,100 homes in central Chile, authorities said on Saturday. https://t.co/FLmWMMdn6d
— CBS News (@CBSNews) February 3, 2024
The Associated Press reported that many homes and businesses were completely destroyed in the Villa Independencia neighborhood on the outskirts of Viña del Mar. Residents reportedly encountered horrific scenes of charred vehicles and roads covered in ash.
Rolando Fernandez, a resident who reportedly lost his home, described how the fire quickly engulfed the area in flames and smoke. Within minutes, the area was engulfed in flames and smoke, and everyone was evacuated for safety, the paper said. (Related: Large-scale fire burns down multiple apartments, 80 residents evacuated)
“I've lived here for 32 years and I never imagined something like this would happen,” Rolando Fernandez said. “I've worked all my life and I don't have anything left.”
In response to the crisis, three evacuation shelters were set up in the Valparaiso area, and 19 helicopters and more than 450 firefighters were deployed to ramp up firefighting efforts, the Associated Press reported. Despite these measures, reaching the hardest-hit communities remains a challenge, the report said.
The fire reportedly spread across difficult-to-access mountainous areas and affected unstable areas on the outskirts of Viña del Mar. The disaster also caused power outages and required the evacuation of four hospitals and three nursing homes in the Valparaiso area. According to the Associated Press, two bus terminals were destroyed as a result.
