Chilean president confirms at least 46 deaths from fires in Valparaiso
Feb 04, 2024
Washington [US], February 4: At least 46 people were killed after fires engulfed the Valparaiso region in central Chile, Chilean President Gabriel Boric said Saturday.
"So far, 40 people have been killed in the fires, and six others have died from burns at medical centers," the president told a news conference, adding that the figure will increase.
The Chilean government imposed a curfew on the Quilpue, Villa Alemana, Vina del Mar and Limache communes in the Valparaiso region from 9 p.m. Saturday (0000 GMT on Sunday) to 10 a.m. Sunday (1300 GMT) to combat the fires.
Local authorities have confirmed that more than 1,200 houses have been destroyed in Quilpue and Villa Alemana, some 120 km northwest of the capital, while at least 9,000 hectares throughout the Valparaiso region have been consumed by fires.
Boric declared on Friday night a state of emergency for the catastrophe in the Valparaiso region to deploy extra resources and allow the intervention of the military.
The fires are the deadliest in recent decades in the South American nation.
Source: Xinhua
