OAN’s Avril Elfie
1:56 PM – Saturday, February 3, 2024
A state of emergency has been declared in Chile as forest fires spread across the country, killing at least 19 people and leaving thousands homeless.
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A fierce forest fire encircling a densely populated area of central Chile has destroyed around 1,100 homes and killed at least 19 people, authorities said Saturday.
Interior Minister Carolina Toja said there are currently 92 forest fires burning in southern and central Chile due to this week’s unusually high temperatures.
She reported that two fires near the towns of Quilpue and Villa Alemana have burned at least 19,770 acres since Friday.
The fire is threatening the coastal resort town of Viña del Mar, and has already caused major damage in some areas.
Many blocks of houses and shops in the hilly area of Villa Independencia on the eastern edge of town were completely destroyed. Burnt out cars with broken windows littered the streets.
Rolando Fernandes, one of the residents who lost his home, told reporters that he had nothing left.
“I’ve been here for 32 years and I never imagined something like this would happen,” Fernandez said. “He’s worked all his life and now he has nothing left.”
Toha said three evacuation centers were set up in the Valparaiso area to extinguish the fire, and more than 450 firefighters and 19 helicopters were dispatched to the area.
She also said rescue teams were still having difficulty reaching the worst-hit areas. Neighborhoods on the outskirts of Viña del Mar are affected by fires that are burning in the mountains, which are difficult to reach.
Authorities reported power outages due to the fire. Three elderly care facilities and four hospitals in the Valparaíso area had to be evacuated, and two bus terminals were also destroyed in the fire, Toja said.
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