Chileans Sunday feared a rise in the death toll from wildfires blazing across the South American country that have already killed at least 51 people, leaving bodies in the street and homes gutted. Authorities warned Sunday of "complicated" conditions as they battled fires in the coastal tourist region of Valparaiso amid an intense summer heat wave, with temperatures soaring to 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) over the weekend. Dense gray smoke blanketed the city of Vina del Mar on the country's central coast Saturday, forcing residents to flee. Rosana Avendano, a 63-year-old kitchen assistant, was away from home when the fire began to sweep through the El Olivar neighborhood, where she lives with her husband. "It was terrible because I couldn't get (to my house). The fire came here... we lost everything," Avendano told AFP. "My husband was lying down and began to feel the heat of the fire coming and he ran away." She feared the worst for hours, but eventually was able to contact her spouse. At least 51 people have been killed, authorities said, including six who succumbed to their injuries after being rescued. President Gabriel Boric, who declared a state of emergency, warned the number of victims would likely increase, pledging government support to help people get back on their feet after he flew over the affected area in a helicopter Saturday afternoon. According to the national disaster service, SENAPRED, nearly 26,000 hectares (64,000) acres had been burned across the central and southern regions by Sunday. SENAPRED chief Alvaro Hormazabal said firefighters were battling 34 blazes as of Sunday morning, with 43 under control. Weather "conditions are going to continue to be complicated," Hormazabal said. Authorities imposed had a curfew beginning at 9:00 pm Saturday (0000 GMT Sunday), while thousands in the affected areas were ordered to evacuate their homes. In the... |