The death toll from a frightening wildfire that devastated a historic Hawaiian village rose to 53 on Thursday, making it one of the deadliest calamities to strike the islands since they were admitted as a US state.
Brushfires erupted on the west coast of Hawaii’s Maui island on Tuesday, fuelled by heavy winds from a nearby hurricane, and quickly consumed the beachside town of Lahaina.
The flames erupted so fast that many people were caught off guard, stranded in the streets or jumping into the ocean in a desperate attempt to escape.
“In 1960 we had 61 fatalities when a large wave came through Big Island,” Governor Josh Green said, referring to a tragedy that struck a year after Hawaii became the 50th US state.
“This time, it’s very likely that our death totals will significantly exceed that.”
“In 1960, we had 61 fatalities when a large wave came through Big Island,” Governor Josh Green stated, referring to a tragedy that occurred a year after Hawaii became the 50th state of the United States.
An aerial image taken on August 10, 2023 shows destroyed homes and buildings on the waterfront burned to the ground in Lahaina in the aftermath of wildfires in western Maui, Hawaii.
“This time, our death toll is very likely to be significantly higher.”
“There is no doubt everyone would describe this as though a bomb hit Lahaina,” he said. “It looks like total devastation; buildings that we’ve all enjoyed and celebrated together for decades, for generations, are completely destroyed.”
President Joe Biden on Thursday declared the fires a “major disaster” and unblocked federal aid for relief efforts, as residents said they needed more help in a recovery that could take years.
