More than 100 die in Chile's severe wildfires

Chile's forestry officials say 188 fires have been raging for days at various sites across the country. According to Interior Minister Carolina Toha, more than 3,000 houses have been destroyed in the Valparaiso region. President Gabriel Boric announced a two-day period of national mourning from Monday to commemorate the victims.

A resident flees the flames on horseback in the popular tourist resort of Vina del Mar. In addition to countless houses, a botanical garden in the town was also destroyed by the fire. President Boric said officials are investigating the possibility that the fires had been started deliberately.

Exhausted firefighters rest during an operation in Vina del Mar. Severe wildfires occur time and again in Chile during summer months. Last year, more than 425,000 hectares of land burned down in the center and south of Chile — roughly eight times the area of Germany's Lake Constance.

In Vina del Mar, where many people have lost everything, one can see rows of burnt houses and cars. Several regions in Chile are currently affected by a heatwave. According to authorities, around 29,000 hectares have been affected by fires so far. At least 112 people have fallen victim to the flames and the number could rise.

Stray and abandoned dogs can be seen everywhere, horses run free and there are pigs — unable to escape the flames — lying in the streets. The fires prompted President Gabriel Boric to declare a state of emergency in affected areas Friday. Meanwhile, he has asked the Ministry of Defense to deploy more soldiers.

After the deployment of 19 firefighting helicopters and more than 450 firefighters, the scale of the disaster is clear. "This is the worst tragedy our country has experienced since the earthquake in 2010," said President Boric.