By Oluwakemi Kindness
Authorities on Friday say 11 people have died and 19 others are missing after a fast-moving wildfire swept through a village in southern Spain.
The blaze tore through the Los Gallardos district near Almeria in the Andalusia region, destroying about 3,150 hectares of forest and farmland as firefighters battled to contain the flames.
Andalusia’s regional emergency minister, Antonio Sanz, said most of the victims were believed to be foreign nationals, although authorities were still working to confirm their identities.
Among the dead were four people found inside a right-hand-drive vehicle, leading officials to suspect they may have been British nationals.
Authorities said many of the victims were tourists visiting the area and were caught while trying to escape through rugged, forested terrain.
The wildfire also left eight people injured, including four in critical condition, while emergency services received more than 150 distress calls as the flames spread rapidly.
About 400 firefighters and military personnel were deployed to fight the blaze, which witnesses believe may have started after a power line fell onto dry vegetation.
The fire comes as Spain and neighbouring France face an intense heatwave, with temperatures forecast to reach 40 degrees Celsius, increasing the risk of wildfires across both countries.
