Dozens killed in Chile as forest fires rage in densely populated central areas
President Gabriel Boric warned that the death toll could worsen as four large fires burn in the region of Valparaiso, where firefighters have struggled to reach the most threatened neighbourhoods, Euronews reports.
At least 46 people have been killed, and more than a thousand homes destroyed in forest fires burning around a densely populated area of central Chile, the country's president said late Saturday.
In a nationally televised address, President Gabriel Boric warned that the death toll could worsen as four large fires burn in the region of Valparaiso, where firefighters have struggled to reach the most threatened neighbourhoods.
Boric urged Chileans to cooperate with rescue workers.
“If you are told to evacuate don't hesitate to do it,” he said. “The fires are advancing fast and climatic conditions have made them difficult to control. There are high temperatures, strong winds and low humidity.”
Interior Minister Carolina Tohá said earlier Saturday that 92 forest fires were burning in the centre and south of the country, where temperatures have been unusually high this week.
The deadliest of the fires were in the Valparaíso region, where authorities urged thousands of people to evacuate their homes.
