The raging wildfire in California has left 48 dead as rescuers continue to search for missing residents in and around the town of Paradise, local authorities said Tuesday. An additional six bodies were discovered Tuesday in Paradise, which has been nearly been completely razed by the deadliest fire in the state's history, said Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea at a daily media briefing, adding that all victims were found in their homes. More than 200 still remain missing in the area and the name list would be made public soon, Honea said, adding that recovery teams are identifying victims with "cutting-edge technology" as the bodies are badly burnt. A Rapid DNA Analysis System was set up in the town, said local media, adding that portable devices can identify human genetic materials in hours while sample tests in labs usually take days or weeks. There have been 208 suspicious incidents reported in the evacuation zone, Butte County Sheriff's Office announced Tuesday. Of those reports, 18 were linked to looting. Deputies arrested four suspects on Monday. The wildfire scorched 130,000 acres (526.1 square km) with 35 percent contained, according to a Tuesday update from California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. More than 5,600 firefighters are battling the blaze. The Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco on Tuesday warned Chinese citizens to follow the latest development and avoid heading to restricted areas. Many survivors in Chico, a small city with 90,000 residents near Paradise, have been living in shelter centers for five days. Some hoped to return home soon while some wondered if they can restart lives in Paradise in the future. |