Firefighters are grappling with relentless forest fires in central Chile that have already claimed 112 lives and ravaged entire neighborhoods.
President Gabriel Boric has characterized the situation as a “tragedy of very great magnitude,” as the number of missing individuals fuels fears of a rising death toll.
“These fires have caused unimaginable devastation,” stated President Boric, reflecting the gravity of the situation.
The fires, which intensified on Friday, now threaten the outskirts of Vina del Mar and Valparaiso, coastal cities popular with tourists, where over a million residents reside west of the capital, Santiago.
Pedro Quezada, a local builder, described the perilous conditions: “The wind was terrible, the heat scorching. There was no respite. People dispersed everywhere.”
Drone footage in the Vina del Mar area revealed scorched neighborhoods and burnt-out houses, as residents sifted through debris, seeking remnants of their former lives.
Social media videos depicted hillside fires encroaching on apartment blocks in Valparaiso, with thick smoke engulfing the air and reducing visibility.
In response, Chilean authorities imposed a 9 p.m. curfew in heavily affected areas and deployed the military to aid firefighters, while helicopters worked to douse flames from the air.
The death toll, confirmed by Chile’s Legal Medical Service, surged from 51 on Saturday to 112 fatalities. President Boric declared two days of national mourning, emphasizing the nation’s collective grief and urging preparedness for further distressing news.
Deputy Interior Minister Manuel Monsalve reported 165 active fires across Chile, with approximately 14,000 homes damaged in Vina del Mar and Quilpué.
Returning residents found their homes unrecognizable, with many losing cherished possessions.
Sergio Espejo, a welder, and his wife, Maria Soledad Suarez, salvaged remnants from their destroyed workshop and home, lamenting the loss of a lifetime’s work.
“The fire was relentless. We barely escaped,” expressed Suarez, her voice trembling with emotion.
The lethality of these fires marks Chile’s worst national disaster since the 2010 earthquake.
President Boric has directed funds to the hardest-hit areas, emphasizing the priority of saving lives amid the crisis.
