99 dead as authorities battle to control Chile forest fires – One America News Network

February 4, 2024 TruthUSA

CHILE-FIRE-WILDFIRES
A firefighter works at the Botanical Garden after a forest fire in Viña del Mar, Chile, on February 4, 2024. Chileans Sunday feared a rise in the death toll from wildfires blazing across the South American country that have already killed at least 51 people, leaving bodies in the street and homes gutted. (Photo by Javier TORRES / AFP) (Photo by JAVIER TORRES/AFP via Getty Images)

A firefighter works at the Botanical Garden after a forest fire in Viña del Mar, Chile, on February 4, 2024. Chileans Sunday feared a rise in the death toll from wildfires blazing across the South American country that have already killed at least 51 people, leaving bodies in the street and homes gutted. (Photo by Javier TORRES / AFP) (Photo by JAVIER TORRES/AFP via Getty Images)

OAN’s Abril Elfi
4:15 PM – Sunday, February 4, 2024

The death toll in Chile continues to rise as thousands of people have been left homeless and at least 99 have died due to forest fires.

On Sunday, authorities declared that at least 99 people have died in the fires and have extended curfews in the cities most severely damaged.

The wildfires that are happening in Chile right now have a very eerie similarity to what happened in Hawaii last year.

Thousands of homes have been destroyed.

State of emergency has been declared.

Death toll is expected to rise. pic.twitter.com/9Z4hOFQ9au

— Shadow of Ezra (@ShadowofEzra) February 4, 2024

Interior Minister Carolina Tohá said there are 92 active fires that started on Friday burning that have affected more than 43,000 hectares and more than 1,350 homes have already been affected.

President Gabriel Boric issued an order for two days of national mourning for the forest fires victims and said that the number of victims is expected to rise.

Rodrigo Mundaca, the governor of the Valparaíso region, said on Sunday he believed that some of the fires could have been intentionally caused

“These fires began in four points that lit up simultaneously,” Mundaca said. “As authorities, we will have to work rigorously to find who is responsible.”

According to Chile’s Legal Medical Service, only 32 bodies out of the 99 have been identified.

In order to allow fire engines and ambulances to more easily reach those farther away from the fires, authorities are urging residents in the impacted areas to leave their homes as soon as possible.

Stay informed! Receive breaking news blasts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts

Source link