122 dead, hundreds more missing as central Chile torched by wildfires

Associated Press

Published February 5, 2024 5:58pm EST

Volunteers in central Chile tried to remove charred metal, broken glass and other debris Monday from neighborhoods devastated by wildfires over the past several days, as officials raised the death toll to 122. Hundreds of people remain missing.

The fires appeared to have diminished by Monday morning after burning intensely since Friday on the eastern edge of the city of Viña del Mar. Two other towns in the Valparaíso region, Quilpé and Villa Alemana, also have been hit hard, and President Gabriel Boric said Sunday that at least 3,000 homes had been burnt down in the area.

An additional 10 victims were added to the death toll on Monday afternoon, bringing it to 122, said Marisol Prado, the director of Chile’s Forensic Medical Service.

Prado said that many bodies were in bad condition and difficult to identify, but added that forensic workers would be taking samples of genetic material from people who have reported missing relatives.

Viña del Mar's Mayor Macarena Ripamonti said that at least 370 people have been reported missing in the city of about 300,000 residents.

The fires ravaged several neighborhoods that had been precariously built on the mountains that loom to the east of Viña del Mar, which is also a popular beach resort.

A civilian flees an encroaching wildfire on horseback in Viña del Mar, Chile, Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024.

Pricila Rivero, a chef from the neighborhood of Alto Miraflores, said that it took about 15 minutes for the flames to travel from a neighboring hill to her home.

She said she rushed her children to safety when she saw the fire approaching, but by the time she returned to salvage some of her posessions her house was burning, with licks of flame emerging from 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 from my parents' wedding, but some of that will remain in our hearts."

Schools and other public buildings in Viña del Mar and in the capital city of Santiago are currently serving as depots, where people are taking donations of water, food, candles and shovels for the victims of the fires.

In Viña del Mar and the nearby towns of Villa Alemana and Quilpé, police have asked people who have not been affected by the fires to stay at home so that rescue crews can move around with more ease.

Hundreds of people affected by the fires returned to their homes on Monday to search through the debris. Many have said they prefer to sleep near their homes in order to prevent looters from taking what is left of their possessions, or from claiming the land their homes were built on.

122 dead, hundreds more missing as central Chile torched by wildfires

智利中部野火，122人死亡，数百人失踪

Volunteers in central Chile tried to remove charred metal, broken glass and other debris Monday from neighborhoods devastated by wildfires over the past several days, as officials raised the death toll to 122. Hundreds of people remain missing.

周一，智利中部一些志愿者在过去几天被野火摧毁的地区清除烧焦的金属、碎玻璃和其他碎片，官方死亡人数上升到122人。仍有数百人失踪。

The fires appeared to have diminished by Monday morning after burning intensely since Friday on the eastern edge of the city of Viña del Mar. Two other towns in the Valparaíso region, Quilpé and Villa Alemana, also have been hit hard, and President Gabriel Boric said Sunday that at least 3,000 homes had been burnt down in the area.

Viña del Mar东部边缘的大火自周五以来一直在猛烈燃烧，周一上午似乎有减弱的势头。Valparaíso地区的另外两个城镇Quilpé和Villa Alemana也受到了严重打击。总统Gabriel Boric周日表示，该地区至少有3000所房屋被烧毁。

An additional 10 victims were added to the death toll on Monday afternoon, bringing it to 122, said Marisol Prado, the director of Chile’s Forensic Medical Service.

智利法医服务局局长Marisol Prado表示，周一下午，又增加了10名受害者，死亡人数达到122人。

Prado said that many bodies were in bad condition and difficult to identify, but added that forensic workers would be taking samples of genetic material from people who have reported missing relatives.

Prado说，许多尸体状况很差，难以辨认，但他补充道，法医工作人员会从报告失踪亲属的人身上采集遗传物质样本。

Viña del Mar's Mayor Macarena Ripamonti said that at least 370 people have been reported missing in the city of about 300,000 residents.

Viña del Mar的市长Macarena Ripamonti表示，这座约有30万居民的城市至少有370人被报道失踪。

The fires ravaged several neighborhoods that had been precariously built on the mountains that loom to the east of Viña del Mar, which is also a popular beach resort.

大火摧毁了几个社区，这些社区不是很稳固地建在Viña del Mar以东的山脉上，是很受欢迎的海滩度假胜地。

Pricila Rivero, a chef from the neighborhood of Alto Miraflores, said that it took about 15 minutes for the flames to travel from a neighboring hill to her home.

来自Alto Miraflores社区的厨师Pricila Rivero说，大火从附近的一座山蔓延到她家大约花了15分钟。

She said she rushed her children to safety when she saw the fire approaching, but by the time she returned to salvage some of her posessions her house was burning, with licks of flame emerging from the windows.

她说当她看到大火逼近时，她把孩子们赶到了安全的地方，但当她回来想抢救出自己的一些财产时，她发现她的房子正在燃烧，窗户里冒出阵阵火焰。

"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 from my parents' wedding, but some of that will remain in our hearts."

“这是我们生活了一辈子的地方”，Rivero说道，“看到它被摧毁，失去我们的回忆，我们的照片，我父母婚礼的照片，真是太难过了，但其中一些会留在我们心中”。

Schools and other public buildings in Viña del Mar and in the capital city of Santiago are currently serving as depots, where people are taking donations of water, food, candles and shovels for the victims of the fires.

Viña del Mar和首都圣地亚哥的学校和其他公共房屋目前用作仓库，人们在那里为火灾受害者捐赠水、食物、蜡烛和铲子。

In Viña del Mar and the nearby towns of Villa Alemana and Quilpé, police have asked people who have not been affected by the fires to stay at home so that rescue crews can move around with more ease.

在Viña del Mar以及附近的Villa Alemana和Quilpé镇，警方要求未受火灾影响的人留在家中，以便救援人员能够更容易穿梭。

Hundreds of people affected by the fires returned to their homes on Monday to search through the debris. Many have said they prefer to sleep near their homes in order to prevent looters from taking what is left of their possessions, or from claiming the land their homes were built on.

周一，数百名受火灾影响的人返回家园，在废墟中搜寻。许多人表示，他们更喜欢睡在家附近，以防止抢劫者拿走他们剩下的财产，或占领他们房屋的土地。