Hawaii’s Worst Wildfires Have Killed At Least 99 People And The Before And After Looks Unreal
This catastrophe stands as Hawaii’s most devastating natural disaster since the 1960 tsunami.
Since Aug. 8, three wildfires have ravaged Hawaii’s West Maui, killing at least 99 people as the desperate search continues.
The death toll is expected to climb further as the rescue team, aided by 20 cadaver dogs, has combed through only 25% of the charred area, making it the deadliest wildfire in more than a century of US history.
The blazes have obliterated over 2,200 structures and 2,100 acres of land, including much of Lahaina, a tourist favorite that was once the capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii.
This catastrophe stands as Hawaii’s most devastating natural disaster since the 1960 tsunami, which took 61 lives.
In hopes of locating missing loved ones, survivors have turned to social media for help.
Hawaii Governor Josh Green has pledged an investigation into the emergency response, as residents pointed out that the sirens placed around the island remained silent at the time of crisis while power and cellular outages also hindered other forms of warning.
Lack of water supply has also emerged as a strain on rescue operations.
“We ran out of water. We’re on an island, with a limited supply. And that’s what we all talk about all the time, our limited resources,” a local firefighter told NBC News.
Green also acknowledged that “there has been a great deal of water conflict on Maui for many years.”
In the past week, one million pounds of food has been dispatched to the affected area; however, the cost of rebuilding the island could reach up to $7 million, according to Hawaiian officials.
“All these ashes are going to turn into beauty. I know Lahaina will come back ten times stronger,” Akanesi Vaa, a woman who fled the flames on foot with her husband and three children, said according to Reuters.
