Death Toll from Chile's Forest Fire Rises to 51

Chile's Interior Minister, Carolina Tohá, announced that the death toll from the severe forest fires in the country has risen to at least 51 people.

Chilean media reports that 45 people lost their lives due to the fires, while six others later succumbed to their injuries in hospitals, suffering from severe burns.

Several individuals are still missing.

The President of Chile, Gabriel Boric, has stated that the death toll is expected to rise further.

The Forest Service recorded 143 fires across the country yesterday, covering an area of approximately 21,000 hectares.

Local authorities had earlier confirmed the destruction of over 1,200 homes in Quilpué and Villa Alemana, about 120 kilometers northwest of the capital, Santiago.

The fires have consumed at least 9,000 hectares throughout the Valparaíso region.

Chilean President Gabriel Boric declared a state of emergency in the Valparaíso region late on Friday to deploy additional resources and allow military intervention.

These fires are considered the deadliest in the country in recent decades.