Los Angeles - Saba:
The death toll from the fires that have been ongoing for a week in the American city of Los Angeles and its surroundings has risen to 24 people.
The Los Angeles Coroner's Office reported in a press release last night that the number of deaths due to the fires has risen to 24, while the search for 16 missing persons continues.
The American authorities announced the issuance of orders to evacuate about 150,000 people from the areas where the fires have spread, and the establishment of a center that allows citizens to report missing persons, and the establishment of a database that enables the displaced to assess the damage to their homes.
Officials at the US Meteorological Agency warned of the continued blowing of strong winds that could hinder firefighting efforts and expand the area of the fires until Wednesday.
Last Tuesday evening, huge wildfires broke out in Los Angeles, fueled by strong winds and dry weather.
The city's fire department later announced that the fires had spread to other areas and that strong winds were helping to do so and hindering firefighters' efforts to extinguish them.
The fires in and around Los Angeles have consumed more than 12,000 buildings, causing significant material losses.
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