Chile’s Wildfires Death Toll Increases To 122 People, Hundreds Still Missing

View of a fire in Santa Juana, Concepcion province, Chile on February 3, 2023. – Chile has declared a state of disaster in several central-southern regions after a devastating heat wave provoked forest fires that left four people dead, authorities said on Friday. (Photo by JAVIER TORRES/AFP via Getty Images)

OAN’s James Meyers
11:38 AM – Monday, February 5, 2024

The search for missing people continues after the devastating wildfires ravaged Chile. 

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Volunteers in central Chile continued removing charred metal and other debris on Monday from neighborhoods that have been devastated by wildfires since last week, with officials raising the death toll to 122 people. 

According to officials, the fires were put out by Monday morning after burning fiercely throughout the weekend in the city of Vina del Mar. 

Additionally, two other towns called Quilpe and Villa Alemana were hit extremely hard, and President Gabriel Boric said on Sunday more than 3,000 homes had been burnt down in the area. 

Marisol Prado, the Director of Chile’s Forensic Medical Service, said a majority of the bodies were in terrible condition and difficult to identify. 

Meanwhile, public buildings in Vina del Mar and in the capital city of Santiago are currently serving as depots, where people are taking donations to help provide aid for the victims of the fires. 

Hundreds of people who have been affected by the fires returned to their homes to help in the search for others through the damage. Others have said they want to sleep near their homes to prevent looters from taking what is left of their possessions.

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