Chile’s National Disaster Prevention and Response Service (Senapred) has raised to 16 the number of deaths caused by the wave of forest fires that are devastating the center-south of the Latin American country and have led the government to request international assistance from several countries, including Spain, to contain the flames.
In its latest balance, Senapred has confirmed a total of 251 outbreaks, 80 of them active, in the midst of a red alert situation in the regions of Ñuble, Biobío and La Araucanía.
Of the total number of deaths, twelve correspond to the commune of Santa Juana, in the Biobío region, including Yesenia Muñoz, a firefighter who died during control work.
A light aircraft pilot and his companion died in the commune of Galvarino, in the Araucanía region, after the aircraft crashed while on its way to control forest fires.
According to Chile’s Minister of the Interior, Carolina Tohá, four other deceased were caught in the flames while flying in the commune of Santa Juana.
This same Saturday, the Minister of the Interior, Carolina Tohá, confirmed the activation of a request for international support in search of help from abroad to strengthen the fight against the fires in Chile.
These requests have been addressed to Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Mexico, Spain and other countries, according to the information provided by La Moneda. «Contact has been made with several governments to reinforce efforts previously made with companies that provide services,» he said in comments reported by Radio BíoBío.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
