Hawaii Wildfires Become Deadliest Event in Modern Century
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The toll from wildfires on the Hawaiian Island of Maui reached 93 on Sunday, establishing them as the most lethal to hit the United States in more than a century, according to the National Protection Association.
The inferno, which raged throughout the previous week, resulted in billions of dollars in damages and virtually obliterated Lahaina, the island's historic resort.
Hawaii Governor Josh Green, speaking at a news conference, remarked, "This is the largest natural disaster we've ever experienced. It's going to also be a natural disaster that's going to take an incredible amount of time to recover from."
Approximately 2,200 structures in West Maui have been razed, causing damages nearing $6 billion, as disclosed by the governor.
Rescue teams have covered only a small fraction of the search area so far, and authorities have cautioned that the number of dead is likely to rise.
Maui Police Chief John Pelletier stated on Saturday, "We've got an area that we have to contain that is at least 5 square miles, and it is full of our loved ones," highlighting the uncertainty about the scale of the disaster's impact.
As of Sunday, six fires were still active on Maui and Hawaii's Big Island, although the Lahaina fire was reported to be 85% contained.