EXCERPT: The
housing ministry reported that 3,000-6,000 homes were affected by the fires.
Local
authorities in Chile have reported that at least 112 people have been killed by
the forest fires raging in Chile’s Valparaíso region.
Chile’s
President, Gabriel Boric, has declared a state of emergency, saying that he
would make use of “all necessary resources” available to tackle the situation.
A health
alert has been put in place in Valparaíso by the health ministry, as the fire
is believed to be Chile’s deadliest forest fire on record. Many of the victims
were touring the region during the summer holidays.
In a
statement, the health ministry called for the suspension of elective surgeries
and ordered that temporary field hospitals be set up, also saying that medicine
students who are nearing the end of their studies will be employed to help ease
pressures on the health service.
The
hardest-hit districts have proven difficult for rescue crews to access, and
Interior Minister Carolina Tohá predicted that the death toll will “reach much
higher figures” in the next few hours.
The
government of Chile has advised citizens not to visit the fire-affected areas.
According to
the housing ministry, the flames affected 3,000–6,000 homes.
A curfew was
implemented on Saturday for residents of Quilpué, Villa Aleman a, Limache, and
Viña del Mar.
According to
President Boric, the curfew would assist clear paths so that rescue
vehicles can get to the impacted districts.
In a speech
to the country on Sunday, the interior minister said that 1,400 firemen would
be dispatched.
Alongside
emergency services, military forces have been sent, and an investigation is
underway to determine what caused the fires.
The
government has prohibited the handling of fire and heat-producing machinery in
Valparaíso and the neighboring Marga district in order to prevent the already
precarious situation from getting worse.
Located 116 kilometers
(72 miles) away from Santiago, the capital, the seaside resort of Valparaíso
attracts a lot of visitors in the summer.
The Biobío
and Ñuble areas,
located south of Valparaíso, had fatal wildfires last year, which seem to
be growing more common and intense.
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