Forest fires kill 112 in Chile's worst disaster since 2010 earthquake

Smoke fills the air following the spread of wildfires affecting many parts of the Valparaiso region, in Vina del Mar, Chile February 3, 2024. REUTERS/Sofia Yanjari

(Reuters) -Firefighters in central Chile on Sunday battled to quell fierce forest fires that have killed 112 people so far and razed entire neighborhoods, while President Gabriel Boric warned the country faces a "tragedy of very great magnitude".

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.