A major fire at a holiday resort in Chile has killed at least two people and damaged around 500 houses.
The fire in the seaside resort of Viña del Mar on the Pacific Ocean, 120 kilometers east of the capital Santiago de Chile, has already burned around 110 hectares of land and is spreading quickly, the National Emergency Service (ONEMI) said on Thursday (local time).
According to the information, the flames were fanned by strong winds and spread within a few hours from a district on the hills to the densely populated town center.
Around 800 emergency services are currently fighting the flames, the fire department said on Twitter.
The military is also on site, said Interior Minister Tohá.
"In these hours, the focus is on fighting the fire, bringing it under control and preventing it from spreading."
Chilean President Gabriel Boric declared a state of emergency.
"We won't leave you alone," he wrote on Twitter.
Authorities responded quickly, but due to "weather conditions, wind and the presence of combustible material," the fire was able to spread "aggressively and quickly," the Interior Ministry said.
According to the Chilean forest authority Conaf in the nearby city of Valparaíso, it will take a few days for the fire to be brought under control.
Viña del Mar with its more than 330,000 inhabitants is a popular holiday resort and is best known for its International Song Festival, which roughly corresponds to the Eurovision Song Contest in Latin America.