A fire in the Chilean port city of Valparaiso has destroyed over 2,000 houses and killed at least 12 people over the weekend, according to the Chicago Tribune.
The fire was fed by strong winds from the Pacific coast. It affected over 1,700 acres of forest and residential neighborhoods. In the rolling hills of Valparaiso, houses are made of wood and spaced closely together, making fighting the fire difficult.
One official said it was the "worst catastrophe" he had ever seen, according to BBC.
Firefighters fought the blaze using planes and helicopters to drop water. President Michelle Bachelet declared a state of emergency, and Marines patrolled the streets as emergency crews treated victims.
Temporary shelters have also been set up for those affected by the blaze.
The Chilean Congress is located in Valparaiso, and it was spared along with the historic quarter's 19th century architecture. The old centre is a Unesco World Heritage Site, and it contains a lot of old buildings that are vulnerable to fire.
"It is still not completely extinguished," said Ricardo Bravo, a local government official.
The reports have not specifically mentioned how exports will be affected. If packing sheds, cold storage facilities, transportation links, ports and airports are all potentially impacted. Until the fire is fully contained, the full extent of the damage to fresh produce exports will be hard to determine.
Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow as we continue to follow this story as more details become available.
