At least 13 missing and eleven dead in the Los Angeles fires

Chijioke Obinna

At least 13 missing and eleven dead in the Los Angeles fires

At least 13 people remain missing by the devastating fires in Los Angeles County, which have also left eleven deceased.

The sheriff of Los Angeles County, Robert Luna, indicated this Saturday at a press conference that it is not yet known if among the missing are any of the eleven people who died in the incident. “We hope to find everyone safe. We want to give closure to the families,” he said.

During the fires, the authorities also 22 people have been arrested19 of which were in the area affected by the Eaton fire, while the other three were in the area of ​​the Palisades fire.

According to the sheriff, the detainees “were in areas where they should not be” and, specifically, two of them were arrested for entering emergency places without authorization and violating curfew which is in effect from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. local time in Los Angeles.

Luna clarified that most of the arrests are related to robberies and looting, including home invasion, possession of narcotics and identity theft. He added that one of these individuals is accused of possession of a firearm.

The sheriff also recalled that The NFL playoff game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Minnesota Vikings has been movedwhich was initially scheduled to take place at the city’s SoFi Stadium on Monday, to State Farm Stadium in Glendale (Phoenix, Arizona).

More than 150,000 people evacuated and new regions threatened by fire

The cause of the fires, which They have burned more than 14,000 hectares and have forced the evacuation of more than 153,000 peopleremains unknown. A context in which Luna pointed out that all possibilities are being considered.

So far, firefighters have managed to completely contain the Lidia fire, whileKenneth is 80% contained, Hurst is 76%, Eaton is 15%, and Palisades is 11%.

Regarding the latter, the California Fire Department and the Los Angeles City Council have issued new evacuation alerts this Saturday in large areas. Encino and Brentwood districts (where about 100,000 people live) due to the proximity of the devastating fire.

“Prepare to evacuate due to the Palisades fire,” reads the City Council alert issued last night to the population of Encino, particularly to residents north of the district to Ventura Boulevard.

Chijioke Obinna

I've been passionate about storytelling and journalism since my early days growing up in Lagos. With a background in political science and years of experience in investigative reporting, I aim to bring nuanced perspectives to pressing global issues. Outside of writing, I enjoy exploring Nigeria’s vibrant cultural scene and mentoring young aspiring journalists.