Chilean officials reported this Sunday: Death toll in devastating fires In the Valparaíso region, 100 kilometers east of Santiago, the number of residences consuming large residential sectors has increased to 100. 56, but is expected to continue growing as the hours pass. “We were informed by the Statutory Health Service (SML) about the unfortunate number of people who died in this emergency, and this number has risen to 56,” said Sofía González, the region’s presidential delegate.
Authorities have already done this Biggest natural emergency since 2010 earthquakeIt caused 525 deaths and thousands of injuries in the south.
It was Chilean President Gabriel Boric who made the decision. exception status The team, which was in the region on Friday to mobilize the necessary resources to face the emergency, arrived in the region this Sunday to measure the magnitude of the disaster on the spot.
According to the latest report from the National Forestry Institute, there are currently at least seven active fires in Valparaíso; the largest is in the Lago Peñuelas/Las Tablas Reserve next to the main highway in the area. Approximately 9 thousand 300 hectares of land burned. This fire, along with the fire that developed in Lo Moscoso and burned 1,350 hectares, is of particular concern due to its lethality and proximity to densely populated areas.
Álvaro Hormazábal, director of the National Disaster Prevention and Response Service (Senapred), said earlier on Sunday: weather conditions may improve There will be a slight decrease in the next few hours, which will make it easier to fight fires. “Starting today or tomorrow, we will open the trench on the coast (…) There may already be some cloudiness on the coast, which increases the humidity and allows the intensity of the fire to decrease slightly,” Hormazábal said.
Curfew
To facilitate rescue efforts and clarify evacuation routes, the Chilean Government issued an order. night curfew This situation may extend into Sunday night in areas that have not yet been evacuated from the towns of Quilpuéé, Villa Alemana, Limache and Viña del Mar. Regional governor Rodrigo Mundaca announced it at a press conference after a meeting with officials. authorities and regional institutions stated that there was “unanimity of criteria” for continuing the measure. the program still needs to be defined.
Mundaca said that the possibility of the fires being intentional is being investigated because many people appeared at the same time. “We don’t know whether this is an organized gang or arsonists. Justice will decide what the criminals are looking for,” he added.