At least 51 people died in the forest fires that engulfed the central part of Chile and the number of victims, most likely, is not final, the authorities announced today.
The area around the tourist town of Vina del Mar in the Valparaiso region was hit hardest by the fires, and rescue teams are trying to reach the most vulnerable areas.
Chilean Interior Minister Carolina Toha said that the death toll was increased because five bodies were found on the road and everything indicated that the number of victims would be much higher.
“The conditions in the Valparaiso region are very delicate,” Toja stressed, noting that Chile is facing its worst disaster since 2010.
Forest fires are not uncommon along Chile during the summer months. Last year, due to record high temperatures, 27 people died and more than 400,000 hectares of land were destroyed.
Toha added that the area affected by fires is much smaller this year, but that the number of destroyed hectares is constantly increasing.
Between Friday and Saturday, the area affected by the fire expanded from 30,000 to 43,000 hectares.
