Chile Wildfires Death Toll Climbs to 112

Wildfires caused widespread destruction in Chile's central region of Valparaiso

Death toll from the deadly wildfires in Chile has surged to 112.

According to Interior Minister Carolina Toha, the weekend blazes have been "without a doubt" the deadliest fire event in Chile's history.

Speaking at a press conference, Undersecretary Manuel Monsalve said that medical examiner has received "112 people dead, 32 bodies identified," adding that there were still "40 active fires" in the country.

Hundreds of people are still missing, authorities say, stoking fears the death toll will keep climbing as more bodies are found on hillsides and houses devastated by the wildfires.

President of Chile Gabriel Boric announced two days of national mourning starting on Monday, warning that the country faces a "tragedy of very great magnitude".

By Sunday, some 26,000 hectares (64,000 acres) had burned in the central and southern areas, according to SENAPRED, the national disaster service.

The fires that gathered momentum on Friday now menaced the outer edges of Vina del Mar and Valparaiso, two coastal cities popular with tourists. The urban sprawl of those cities accounts for more than a million residents west of the capital Santiago.

A state of emergency has been proclaimed as smoke engulfed the coastal cities of Chile, forcing residents in core regions to flee their homes.

The fires broke out as Chile faces a heat wave that has affected other Latin American countries as well.

Source: QNA