Raging forest fires turn deadly in Chile
At least 46 people were killed by forest fires in the coastal tourist city of Vina del Mar and the death toll could rise in the coming hours as rescue teams reach more affected areas, Interior Minister Carolina Toha said on Saturday. - REUTERS
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00:00 At least 46 people were killed in central Chile's raging forest fires, according to
00:06 the country's president on Saturday.
00:10 Black smoke billowed into the sky over many parts of the Belparaiso region, home to nearly
00:15 one million people.
00:17 Rescue teams have been deployed to the affected areas, but the amount of damage is growing
00:21 and the death toll is expected to rise, said the government.
00:27 Some people picked through the debris, and others watched as homes were engulfed in flames.
00:32 "We cannot do anything about the houses.
00:38 We need to wait for them to burn or for the fire to die out," said this resident.
00:43 Officials said 92 active fires were covering more than 43,000 hectares Saturday, up from
00:49 just 30,000 hectares on Friday.
00:53 Wildfires are not uncommon in Chile over the summer months, and during last year's record
00:57 heat wave, some 27 people died and more than 400,000 hectares were burned.