All news

Death toll from fires in Chile rises to 19

The fire destroyed at least 325 houses

BUENOS AIRES, January 20. /TASS/. At least 19 people have died in wildfires in southern Chile, said Interior Minister Alvaro Elizalde.

"To date, we have information about 19 dead, 630 people were placed in temporary shelters," he said at a press conference broadcast by the National Disaster Management Service.

The fire destroyed at least 325 houses. The number of affected residents is estimated at more than 1,500. Evacuation was announced in several settlements. The National Forestry Corporation said that by Monday evening, firefighters were continuing to fight 31 fires, with a total of more than 32,600 hectares covered by fires.

Severe fires began on January 17 amid dry and hot weather with the most serious recorded in the Biobio and Nuble regions, where a state of emergency was declared.

Tags