The death toll from the wildfires, which have already burned a historic town in Hawaii, has risen to 36, local authorities said Wednesday.
“As firefighting efforts continue, a total of 36 deaths have been discovered amid the active Lahaina wildfire,” Maui County government said in a statement, quoted by AFP.
Fears have been reinforced by the passage of Hurricane Dora near the archipelago, which in recent hours has exacerbated the fires that have already caused extensive damage and evacuations on the islands of Maui and Hawaii.
According to forecasts, strong winds and low humidity, conditions that favor the spread of fires, will continue for the next few hours. All roads in the affected areas have also been closed and can only be used by emergency services.
The largest fire began to spread Tuesday in the city of Lahaina, one of the most popular with tourists, forcing many residents to take refuge in the sea to escape the flames and smoke.
The fires are also affecting Kula, another part of the island of Maui, as well as the Kohala Peninsula on the island of Hawaii. US authorities declared a state of emergency and Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke said Maui’s hospital network was overwhelmed by the influx of patients with burns or smoke inhalation.
Source: TSF
