Wildfires scorch central Chile, over 110 dead so far
At least 112 people have died so far in the devastating wildfires in Chile. President Gabriel Boric has warned that the toll might increase "significantly" as rescue teams searched charred neighborhoods. As of now, firefighters continue to combat flames in Valparaiso's seaside district, reports said. According to Manuel Monsalve, Undersecretary of the Interior, the medical examiner has received "112 people dead, 32 bodies identified," adding that there were still "40 active fires" in the country.
Deadliest fire event in Chile's history
Chilean Interior Minister Carolina Toha has said the weekend blazes "without a doubt" have been the deadliest fire event in the country's history. AFP reported that the Chilean National Disaster Prevention and Response Service (SENAPRED) said that almost 64,000 acres had burned in the central and southern areas by Sunday. Boric also declared a state of emergency, pledging government support to help citizens recover from the wildfire.
Amid curfew, thousands ordered to evacuate their homes
Reinforced by 31 firefighting airplanes and helicopters, roughly 1,400 firefighters, 1,300 military personnel, and volunteers are currently combating the flames. Noting that dozens of blazes continue to burn out of control, SENAPRED head Alvaro Hormazabal stated weather conditions will "continue to be complicated." Furthermore, authorities also imposed a curfew while thousands in the affected areas were ordered to evacuate their homes.
Watch: Wildfires rage on in Chile
Monday, Tuesday announced as national mourning days in Chile
According to the CNN, the Chilen president announced on Sunday that Monday and Tuesday will be designated as national mourning days in honor of those who lost their lives in the disaster. In February last year, wildfires in the country swept through over 4,00,000 hectares of land and claimed the lives of more than 22 people.
