Satellite images show scale of Chile deadly wildfires, destroyed neighborhoods
New satellite images show the extent of the widespread damage caused by raging wildfires in Chile's scenic Valparaíso region that have killed least 122 people.
On Monday, the space technology company Maxar gathered multiple satellite images of entire neighborhoods east of the resort town of Viña del Mar that have been destroyed. The images, collected at 11:48 a.m. local time, do not show active wildfires but burn scars left behind from the flames.
On Monday, Chile's state forensic agency reported the toll stood at 122 dead, with only 32 of the victims identified. President Gabriel Boric had warned Sunday that an earlier death toll of 112 could rise "significantly."
Most of the deaths have been in Viña del Mar, a popular tourist spot known for its beaches and gardens. The town's mayor, Macarena Ripamonti, told reporters on Sunday that "190 people are still missing" in the city.
The fires surged Friday in the Valparaíso region, fueled by winds and an intense heatwave that has seen temperatures of around 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit).
Below are satellite images capturing the areas tragically affected by the wildfires:
Before and after satellite images from the Chile wildfires
- In:
- Wildfire
- Environment
