The death toll from wildfires in Hawaii, the deadliest in more than a century in the United States, has risen to 99 and could double this week, officials warned Monday.
“In the next ten days, that number could double,” Hawaii Governor Josh Green told CNN television, announcing the discovery of three more bodies.
According to the governor, most of the bodies found so far have been found near the coast or in the ocean. Dozens of people jumped into the water to escape the flames.
“We are being crushed by the circumstances of climate change and tragedy at the same time,” Green complained.
In the town of Lahaina on the island of Maui, the fire was so intense that the metal melted. Police are calling on relatives of missing persons to take a DNA test to help identify the bodies.
According to the governor, 1,300 people are still missing. This number is dwindling as communications are gradually restored throughout Maui and residents are able to locate relatives.
During fires, official warnings on television, radio and cell phones proved useless to many residents without electricity or the grid. The alarm sirens remained silent.
An investigation was opened to analyze the management of the crisis.
These fires are taking place in a summer marked by extreme phenomena around the world, which experts say are linked to global warming, including major wildfires in Canada.
Besides searching for bodies, Maui’s other challenge now is feeding and housing the thousands of survivors.
In Kahului, on the north coast of the island, several renowned chefs and an army of volunteers prepare 9,000 meals a day.
“Some of our leaders have lost their homes [no incêndio] and they are here with us, cooking for the people. This gives us an idea of what this ‘Aloha’ spirit is,” Sheldon Simeon, one of them, told France-Presse news agency (AFP), referring to the Hawaiian philosophy of life.
According to the authorities, the damage from the fire in Lahaina, the former capital of the archipelago and one of Hawaii’s most popular tourist areas, would amount to 5.52 billion dollars (4.8 billion euros).
Source: DN
