Authorities of the Ministry of the Interior and Public Security carried out an assessment of the emergency that is being experienced in the Valparaíso Region, the product of a raging fire that has devastated 125 hectares, after registering several affected in the Viña del Mar commune.
As explained by Undersecretary Manuel Monsalve, the fire that is still in combat has left two dead, 30 injured (27 civilians and three firefighters), and 70 people registered as sheltered.
You may also like:
The head of the Undersecretary of the Interior stressed that there is special concern for damaged homes and reported that, according to the municipality led by Mayor Macarena Ripamonti (RD), there are 130; figure that could be modified before monitoring the passage of flames. This information will be released during this day, after taking aerial images prior to the fire, contrasted with the paranormal after the incident.
Monsalve also pointed out that an information survey will be carried out by teams from the Municipality of Viña del Mar and the Ministry of Social Development, the results of which will be revealed next Monday night or Tuesday morning.
There are six thousand families without electricity service, added the Undersecretary of the Interior, and, despite the fact that in some sectors there is less pressure, the drinking water sanitary service remains active throughout the area under the State of Constitutional Exception of Catastrophe due to Public Calamity and where the Chief of National Defense is already fulfilling his duties.
15 helicopters, eight tanker planes and one coordination plane, 11 Conaf brigades, four fast vehicles, six tank trucks, and 51 fire vehicles with 200 volunteers have been deployed in the area.
“At this time, in the current conditions of the fire and in the current weather conditions, it is considered that there is no risk of the fire advancing”sentenced the government authority, recalling the aid provided for those affected.
“There are shelters provided by Onemi and basic emergency information sheets are being filled out that will allow access to funds, emergency housing, emergency kits, as well as affectation bonds for people who have lost assets.”
Additionally, the coordination between the Undersecretary of Regional Development Nicolás Cataldo and the municipality of Ciudad Jardín will provide resources for the machinery that allows the removal of debris.
The head of the branch, Minister Carolina Tohá, added that “there is no doubt that today’s situation, at this moment, is very different from last night,” although she warned that “the afternoon could bring us winds again.” So, “what is least required now is to claim victory,” she stated, assessing the deployment of resources in the face of the flames. “A fire of this magnitude could have an infinitely higher level of damage right now if it weren’t for the volunteers.”
It is worth mentioning that, by helicopter, President Gabriel Boric set out for Viña del Mar, in order to hold a series of activities. This Friday afternoon, the President will hold a meeting with senior government and local authorities in Ciudad Jardín, to discuss progress in fire control.
