Spanish wildfires claim 13th victim as British woman, 93, dies of injuries

LOS GALLARDOS, Spain – A 93-year-old British woman has died from injuries she sustained in the devastating wildfires that swept through Spain's southeastern Almeria province, raising the death toll to 13, the Andalusian regional government said Sunday.

The woman was among eight people hospitalized after the wildfire erupted on Thursday. Four of the injured were reported to be in serious condition.

According to the regional government, the woman, who had pre-existing medical conditions, was admitted to the emergency room early Friday with burns covering 20% of her body. Regional emergency chief Antonio Sanz extended his condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in one of the deadliest wildfires in Spain's history.

The blaze scorched more than 7,000 hectares (17,300 acres) of land in the municipality of Los Gallardos before authorities announced Sunday that it had been contained and its perimeter secured.

Spain's forensic services data unit, the CID, said two additional people had been reported missing after coordinating with authorities in France, Britain, and Belgium, bringing the total number of missing persons to 10.

The agency has begun allowing relatives living overseas to report missing family members and submit DNA samples in their home countries to assist with victim identification. Officials expect more reports to be filed in the coming days.

Authorities have not yet formally identified the victims, and some of those reported missing may be among the dead.

Belgian officials said they believe three Belgian nationals were among those killed in the Los Gallardos wildfire.

One of them was identified as 63-year-old Belgian businessman Stanislas Verdonckt. His son, Belgian virologist Thomas-Wolf Verdonckt, told Reuters he last spoke with his father by phone shortly before 9 p.m. Thursday.

According to Verdonckt, his father and nearby residents received no evacuation warning or safety advice before deciding to flee on foot as the flames rapidly approached. However, the Andalusian regional government said the local mayor had advised the group to remain sheltered in place.

Andalusian regional president Juanma Moreno announced Sunday that the wildfire had been brought under control, allowing more than 1,000 residents to return to their homes in villages north of Los Gallardos after evacuation orders were lifted.

Moreno also urged the public to remain vigilant throughout the summer wildfire season, noting that Andalusia, Spain's most populous region, experiences an average of 15 forest fires each day, with the number occasionally rising to as many as 22.

Among those returning home was 72-year-old Iranian-born British resident Cameron Karoonian, who said he hoped his house had survived the blaze.

"We just need to go and pick up where we left off," Karoonian said. "Get on with living, find the cats, make sure they're okay, and put it behind us." -Reporting by Sergio Leon, Michael Gore and Nina Lopez; Writing by Aislinn Laing; Editing by Edmund Klamann/Reuters