Forest Fires Claim 123 Lives in Chile’s Deadliest Disaster Since the 2010 Earthquake, Reports Reuters

Firefighters in central Chile are currently facing a severe challenge as they attempt to control devastating forest fires that have led to the deaths of 123 people and destroyed entire neighborhoods. President Gabriel Boric described the situation as a “tragedy of very great magnitude.”

Authorities report that hundreds of individuals are still unaccounted for, raising concerns that the death toll may continue to rise as more bodies are discovered in the burn areas. The wildfires, which intensified on Friday, are now threatening the outskirts of Viña del Mar and Valparaíso, two coastal cities that are home to over a million residents and are popular among tourists.

Aerial footage from the Viña del Mar area reveals neighborhoods reduced to ashes, with residents searching through the ruins of burned homes where roofs have collapsed. The streets are cluttered with charred vehicles.

Local builder Pedro Quezada recounted the terrifying conditions in Valparaíso: “The wind was terrible, the heat scorching. There was no respite. People dispersed everywhere,” he said, standing among the wreckage of his home.

Social media videos depict flames approaching apartment buildings in the Valparaíso region, sending thick smoke into the sky and reducing visibility in various urban areas.

In response to the crisis, Chilean authorities have imposed a 9 p.m. curfew in the worst-hit locations and deployed military personnel to assist firefighters. Helicopters have also been dispatched to drop water on the flames from above.

The Chilean Legal Medical Service confirmed that the number of fatalities had escalated to 123 by Monday evening, a significant rise from 51 reported just two days earlier. President Boric announced a two-day national mourning period and cautioned the country to brace for further distressing news.

In a televised address, Boric expressed collective grief, stating, “It is Chile as a whole that suffers and mourns our dead.” Deputy Interior Minister Manuel Monsalve reported that 165 fires were burning across Chile, with around 14,000 homes damaged in the Viña del Mar and Quilpué areas alone.

Residents returning to their homes found them nearly unrecognizable, having lost nearly all of their possessions. Sergio Espejo, a 64-year-old welder, was seen sifting through the ashes of his workshop and home with his wife, Maria Soledad Suarez. She managed to salvage a single plate and part of a porcelain doll while searching for jewelry, as Espejo lamented the loss of his tools scattered beneath flattened debris.

“Here is my workshop, it’s totally destroyed,” he said sorrowfully. “All the sacrifice, all in a lifetime.”

While wildfires during the Southern Hemisphere’s summer are common, the severity of these incidents marks them as the worst national disaster in Chile since the 2010 earthquake that claimed around 500 lives. In the previous year, wildfires, fueled by a record heatwave, resulted in 27 deaths and impacted over 400,000 hectares of land.

In solidarity, U.S. President Joe Biden stated that his administration is in contact with Chilean officials and is prepared to provide assistance. He expressed his condolences, saying, “Jill and I are deeply saddened by the loss of life and devastation caused by the ongoing wildfires in Chile.”

President Boric is focused on directing funds to the most affected areas, emphasizing the importance of saving lives amidst this emergency. “We are together, all of us, fighting the emergency,” he stated.