LOS ANGELES, Jan 27, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - A 100th victim has been identified from the wildfire that ravaged the Hawaiian island of Maui over the summer, police said Friday.

Lydia Coloma, 70, was initially listed on a tally of missing persons that has since dwindled to just a handful of individuals.

The August 8 fire largely destroyed the city of Lahaina, the old capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii.

Among the charred debris and buildings reduced to ashes, the search for and identification of human remains has been difficult, often requiring DNA samples from living relatives of those listed as missing.

The death toll from the fire has fluctuated, rising above 100 and then falling to 97 in September.

But as people have died of injuries and new bodies have been discovered, the tally has once again hit the grim milestone of 100.

The wildfire was the deadliest the United States has seen for more than a century.

The response by government authorities -- which is under investigation -- was heavily criticized, especially when warning sirens did not go off to alert people of the blaze.

Flames, fanned by powerful winds, moved so quickly that many residents were caught unaware, only learning of the fire when they saw it for themselves.

Some abandoned their cars as they tried to flee the town and sought refuge in the ocean, where they cowered for hours as their homes were incinerated.

The Maui County government is suing Hawaii's electricity company, alleging the destruction could have been avoided if power lines had been shut off.