36 people have died as a result of the devastating wildfires in Maui, and authorities fear that as more of the island is consumed by the flames, the destruction will only worsen.
The deaths appear to make the wildfire the second deadliest in the United States in a century, according to Maui County officials, who said the flames burned the area, including the ancient town of Lahaina. It is only second to the Camp Fire in California, which claimed 85 lives in 2018.
By Thursday morning local time, Maui County officials reported that the Lahaina fire was 80% suppressed.
Satellite photographs from before and after show the damage caused by the Maui wildfires.
Many of the citizens who escaped still don’t know whether their houses and businesses have been burned to ashes, even though survivors recount terrifying escapes by car or boat.
According to federal officials, thousands of people have been relocated.
Dustin Kaleiopu, whose Lahaina home was damaged, is one of them. We’re all homeless, Kaleiopu added, referring to her coworkers, friends, and family. We are hope that the death toll does not increase significantly. Here is the most recent:
Losses in the billions of dollars:
Although it’s too soon to determine the extent of the devastation, Hawaii Governor Josh Green told CNN that he anticipates “billions of dollars in structural damage.”
Dozens have died:
As the Lahaina fire continues to burn, 36 total dead have been found, according to Maui County officials’ statement late Wednesday night (Thursday early ET). “At this time, no additional information is available.”
These issues make it challenging to put out the dangerous Maui wildfires.
Biden approves the declaration of a disaster:
President Joe Biden approved a disaster declaration, the White House announced on Thursday, opening up government funding to support Maui County’s recovery.
Fifty people dived into the water to get away:
This week, more than 50 persons who had fled wildfire flames near Lahaina were rescued from the Pacific Ocean by the Coast Guard, according to Capt. Aja Kirksey.
The Coast Guard is still searching for individuals who may not have survived in the ocean after initial reports indicated that roughly 100 people escaped into the water. However, as at this point, “we have not received a report of any deceased or any additional survivors for us to recover,” Kirksey said on Thursday morning.
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A historic town is all but destroyed:
The governor reported that hundreds of families were forced from Lahaina, which is home to around 12,000 people in western Maui. According to county officials, more than 270 structures have been built in Lahaina.
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A few people have not yet been located:
A federal team arrived on Wednesday to assist search efforts in the Lahaina region, and three helicopters from the US Coast Guard and US Navy were employed in search and rescue operations throughout the west Maui coastline, according to officials.
Thousands are without cell phone service:
repairing Maui’s cell phone networks might take days or perhaps weeks. According to Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke, officials have been contacting service providers on the west side of Maui utilizing satellite phones to restore power to the region.
The power outages persist:
According to PowerOutage.us, more than 10,000 households and businesses on Maui were without power on Thursday. Hawaiian Electric reported that additional crews are being sent out from Oahu.
There isn’t enough long-term housing:
According to Maui officials, more than 1,300 people spent Wednesday night in shelters. The governor told CNN that while there is adequate shelter for an emergency response for a few days, “there is not enough shelter for long-term living.”
Devastating wildfires are captured on drone video on Maui.
travelers should depart:
According to Maui County officials, seats on departing aircraft are still available, so travelers are urged to leave Lahaina and Maui as soon as possible. According to county officials, over 1,400 people waited at the airport overnight on Wednesday for flights out.
Airlines expand their capacity:
To transport more people off the island, American, Alaska, Delta, and United all brought in larger aircraft. Southwest reduced its prices and expanded its service.
Overwhelmed hospitals:
Luke told CNN on Wednesday that the number of burn patients and people who had smoke inhalation at Maui’s hospitals was overwhelming.