Image@ Reuters
Authorities announced on Monday that nine victims of one of Spain’s most catastrophic wildfires have been confirmed, while forensic teams are working to identify three additional individuals through DNA testing.
The latest confirmed victims include a Belgian couple and a woman from the United Kingdom.
So far, the identified casualties consist of four men and five women, with eight being foreign nationals and one Spanish citizen.
Of the total 13 fatalities, which include a 93-year-old British woman who succumbed to burn injuries on Sunday in a hospital, five were from the UK, three from Belgium, one from France, and one from Spain.
All victims were adults.
The wildfire has devastated approximately 7,000 hectares (17,300 acres) of land.
Among the Belgian victims was Stanislas Verdonckt, a 63-year-old businessman who attempted to escape via a mountain path but was overtaken by flames.
His sister, Sophie Vandebroek, shared that his dog, Schubi, was found near his body.
This wildfire marks Spain’s deadliest in over 40 years, trapping residents in a challenging area with scattered homes as they tried to flee the inferno on Thursday night.
Spain and much of Southern Europe are facing increasingly severe wildfire seasons, attributed to climate change by scientists.
Experts note that unusually heavy spring rainfall fostered vegetation growth across southern Spain, creating ample fuel that later dried out in extreme summer heat, facilitating the rapid spread of the fire.
Relatives have reported 10 individuals missing.
Authorities indicated that some of these reports correspond to the identified victims but did not disclose specific numbers.
Investigators emphasized that DNA analysis is currently the only reliable method for identifying the remains due to their condition.
On Monday, Andalusia’s regional government downgraded the wildfire alert to a pre-emergency phase after stabilizing the blaze, lifting evacuation orders and permitting residents to return home.
Regional chief Juan Manuel Moreno reassured reporters that the fire appeared to be “under control.”
By: Magdalene Agyeiwaa Sarpong