More than 300 people were still missing in Chile on Tuesday, as forest fires that ravaged the center of the country for several days and killed at least 131 people appeared to be extinguishing themselves.
Authorities were assessing damage after fires in Valparaíso, considered Chile’s deadliest disaster since the 2010 earthquake. Officials suggested some fires may have been set intentionally.
During a visit to the region, President Gabriel Boric announced that furniture used for the 2023 Pan American Games would be donated to the victims. He added that the government would also cancel the water bills of 9,200 affected households.
The fires broke out Friday on the mountainous eastern edge of Viña del Mar, a seaside resort known for its festival that attracts the cream of Latin music. Two other towns, Quilpé and Villa Alemana, were also hit hard.
The Viña del Mar festival canceled its opening gala as a sign of mourning. Many participating singers, including Alejandro Sanz, Pablo Alborán and Maná, sent messages of solidarity and announced donations.
Chile’s forensic medicine service stressed that many bodies recovered from the fires were in poor condition and difficult to identify, but that forensic doctors would take samples of genetic material from people who report their loved ones missing.
“The house of my parents and my sisters burned down, and my neighbors ― those who knew me when I was little ― died,” said Gabriel Leiva, 46, as he sifted through the debris in Viña del Mar. He added that his neighbors formed “a family which is not of blood, but of heart”.
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