I volunteer Central Chile Burned metal, broken glass and other debris were cleared Monday from neighborhoods ravaged by wildfires over the past several days, as authorities raised the death toll to 122. Hundreds of people are missing.
The fire on the eastern edge of the city of Viña del Mar since Friday appeared to have subsided by Monday morning. Two other towns in the Valparaiso region, Quilpé and Villa Alemana, were also severely damaged, and President Gabriel Bork On Sunday, at least 3,000 houses have been burnt in the area.
Marisol Prado, director of Chile’s Forensic Medical Service, said the death toll rose by 10 more on Monday afternoon, bringing the total to 122.
Colombia declared a disaster due to the forest fires and requested international assistance
Prado said many of the bodies were in poor condition and difficult to identify, but added that forensic workers would take samples of genetic material from people who reported missing relatives.
At least 370 people were reported missing in the city of about 300,000 residents, Viana del Mar Mayor Macrina Rappamonti said.
The fire destroyed several neighborhoods that were built on the hills east of Viana del Mar, also a popular beach resort.
A citizen on horseback flees a wildfire in Viana del Mar, Chile, Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024.
Chef Priscilla Rivero, from the Alto Miraflores neighborhood, said it took about 15 minutes. The flames Traveling from the neighboring hill to his house.
She said she rushed her children to safety when she saw the fire approaching, but when she returned to save some of her belongings, her house was burning, flames pouring out of the windows.
“This is where we’ve lived our whole lives,” Rivero said. “It’s very sad to see it destroyed, and to lose our memories, our photos, our parents’ wedding photos, but some of them will remain in our hearts.”
Schools and other public buildings in the capital city of Viña del Mar and Santiago are currently serving as depots, where people are taking donations of water, food, candles and shovels for fire victims.
In Viña del Mar and the nearby towns of Villa Alemana and Quilpé, police have asked people not affected by the fire to stay indoors so rescue crews can move around more easily.
Hundreds of people affected by the fire returned to their homes on Monday to search through the rubble. Many have said they prefer to sleep close to their homes to prevent looters from taking what’s left of their possessions, or claiming the land on which their homes are built. were