Massive Wildfires on Maui Island Claim Lives of 53 (+Video)
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Devastating wildfires that have engulfed Maui island since Tuesday have led to the tragic death of at least 53 individuals, as confirmed by Hawaii state police.
Governor Josh Green expressed concerns that this natural catastrophe could become the most extensive in the state's history, according to RT.
Maui County Police Chief John Pelletier disclosed on Thursday that the death toll had surged from 36 to 53. Addressing inquiries about the count of missing persons, he admitted, "Honestly, we don't know."
During a press briefing on the same day, Governor Green issued a somber warning, stating, "The island will continue to see loss of life," and recovery efforts to retrieve victims' remains are expected to span days, if not weeks.
Maui County Fire Chief Brad Ventura reported that while the largest and deadliest blaze, the Lahaina fire, had achieved 80% containment, firefighting teams persisted in battling to completely extinguish the flames as of Thursday. Ventura highlighted that the situation was further complicated by "small fires in between these large fires" that continued to ignite.
Governor Green estimated the cost of rebuilding the historic town of Lahaina, ravaged by the wildfires, to be in the billions of dollars, requiring years to accomplish. He grimly described the extent of devastation during the press conference, stating, "When you see the full extent of the destruction of Lahaina, it will shock you," adding, "it does appear like a bomb and fire went off."
Furthermore, Governor Green suggested that the ongoing wildfires were poised to become the "largest natural disaster in Hawaii state history," surpassing the devastation wrought by the deadly 1960 tsunami.
Responding to the dire situation, US President Joe Biden signed a federal disaster declaration on Thursday, unlocking federal funding to aid those affected by the blazes.
Over 10,000 individuals have been evacuated from the disaster zone since Tuesday. The rapidly advancing flames compelled some people to plunge into the waters of the Pacific Ocean earlier this week to save their lives. They were later rescued by the US Coast Guard.
While wildfires are a familiar occurrence in Hawaii during the summer, this year's blazes have grown unusually large, partly due to winds from Hurricane Dora, located hundreds of kilometers to the south, fanning the flames.
