Chile wildfire aftermath sees 123 dead, communities in ruins

Chilean volunteers have removed debris from neighborhoods devastated by wildfires, while the death toll rises to 123

Volunteers across central Chile on Monday removed charred metal, broken glass, and other debris from neighborhoods devastated by wildfires over the past several days as officials raised the death toll to 123. Hundreds remain missing.

The fires appeared to have decreased after burning hot since Friday near Viña del Mar until early Monday. President Gabriel Boric said that at least 3,000 homes had been burnt down in the area, with two other towns in the Valparaiso region, Quilpe and Villa Alemana, also hard hit.

Marisol Prado, head of the Chilean Forensic Medical Service, said the death toll was now up to 122, with 10 new fatalities added to the tally on Monday afternoon. Prado said many bodies were in bad shape and hard to identify. Still, he added forensic workers would be taking samples of genetic material from people who have reported missing relatives.

Macarena Ripamonti, the mayor of Viña del Mar, said at least 370 people had been reported missing in the city of about 300,000 residents. The fires destroyed many districts precariously built on the mountains to the east of Viña del Mar, also a favored beach resort.

“It took about 15 minutes for the fire to reach our house from the closest hill,” said Pricila Rivero, a chef from the neighborhood of Alto Miraflores. She said she rushed the children to safety as soon as she saw how dangerously close the flames came, but by the time she came back to salvage some of her things, her house was burning, with the little flames peaking from the inside of the windows. “It’s the place where we have lived all our lives,” Rivero said. “It’s so sad to see it destroyed and to lose our memories, our photos, the pictures of my parents’ wedding, but that will remain in our hearts.”

In Viña del Mar, schools and other public buildings are used as depots. In the capital city of Santiago, thousands of people donate water, food, candles, and shovels for the victims of the fires. Police in Viña del Mar and the neighboring towns of Villa Alemana and Quilpé have asked residents not affected by the fires to stay home to allow rescue crews to be better circulated.

Hundreds of people affected by the fires returned home Monday to search through the debris. Many expressed that they would rather sleep near their homes than miss looters carting away what’s left of their things or occupying the land on which their houses stood.

Source: AP