The death toll from the catastrophic fires that struck the tourist region of Valparaiso, located in central Chile, rose to at least 131 people on Tuesday, which have become the deadliest in the country's modern history, according to authorities.
In addition to the dead, the fires left many missing and thousands homeless.
On Tuesday, on the second and last day of the national mourning period approved by the authorities to honor the memory of the victims of this disaster, the Forensic Medical Authority announced in a statement that the death toll had risen to 131, compared to 123 dead on Monday.
The body responsible for updating the death toll said that of these 131 victims, only 35 dead have been identified so far.
The statement quoted the director of the authority, Marisol Prado, as saying that samples would begin to be taken from people who reported the disappearance of their relatives in order to conduct DNA tests to identify the bodies.
President Gabriel Buric described these fires as the “biggest tragedy” the country has witnessed since the 2010 earthquake, which was followed by a tsunami in a disaster that left more than 500 dead.
According to the authorities, nine forest fires are still active in the affected area, but they are all under control and no longer threaten urban areas.
According to fire brigades, all of these fires can be extinguished within a week.
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