Hawaii fires: Maui death toll continues to rise, residents scold authorities for inaction (5 photos)

According to the latest official data, the number of victims of natural fires on the Hawaiian island of Maui reached 96, with local officials warn that the data is far from conclusive.





According to the latest official data, the number of victims of natural fires on the Hawaiian island of Maui reached 96, with local officials warn that the data is far from conclusive. hundreds people are still missing. According to the rescuers, so far they have managed to explore only 3% of the territory over which the fire.

Hawaii Governor Josh Green said more than 2,700 buildings were destroyed in the historic city of Lahaina.

Causes of fires at the moment are still unknown, local authorities say they are investigating.

The scale of the disaster was exacerbated by drought and hurricanes winds from the shore. Some gusts of wind reached speeds of 130 km/ h, in as a result of which the flame sometimes spread at a speed of up to one and a half kilometers per minute, leaving people too little time to be saved.

"There's almost nothing left," Greene told reporters.

On Sunday evening, Maui County officials said two the source of ignition has not yet been fully localized, including the one who destroyed Lahaina.

Governor Green noted that the an investigation into why the sirens didn't work, designed to warn residents of danger.

"We'll soon find out if enough has been done to get them on," he said.

However, some officials, as well as local residents, they say the flames were spreading too fast and the locals the authorities were physically unable to organize a worthy rebuff to him.

"This fire was spreading too fast, and was spreading across ground," said Lori Moore-Merrell of the US Fire Department. — The firemen simply couldn't do more. Their actions are worthy praise."

Authorities have also warned that toxic substances released into the atmosphere as a result of fires can accumulate, for example, in drinking water.



Search for the missing and dead

So far, local authorities have focused their efforts on a thorough inspection of what remains of the coastal zone of the island.

“At the moment, none of us is able to appreciate the magnitude of this disaster,” said the visibly agitated police chief Maui John Pelletier. “We pick up the remains [of burnt people], and they crumble in our hands."

According to him, Lahaina, the former capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii (existed from 1820 to 1845) turned into a crematorium.

“When we find the remains, keep in mind that these people died in fire that melted the metal,” said Pelletier. - Must be done urgently rapid DNA test to identify them."

Specially trained dogs are also used to search for the dead. Eyewitnesses say that their barking echoes loudly through the devastated streets that now look like a war zone.

Jeremy Greenberg, senior official of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), told the BBC that in disaster area sent additional assistance, including rescue teams specializing in the search for victims in urban environments and additional fire brigades.

“The number one absolute priority is the safety of the survivors,” he said.

Greenberg also added that while the number of missing approaching one thousand, some of them may well be in security and simply for some reason can not contact relatives and close ones.

Hundreds of evacuees were housed at the War Memorial Maui complex, where they receive food, hygiene items and, in if necessary, medical assistance. Volunteers work with them.

In the center, on large boards, announcements are posted about what the victims need the most. Now the most needed batteries, water and electric generators, but there are just enough clothes.

Keapo Bissen, member of the War Memorial Orphanage team, said that the list of missing people changes almost every hour, because some people report missing loved ones, and others about that they found their friends or relatives.



"Worst Natural Disaster"

The fires that began last Tuesday will certainly become the worst natural disaster Hawaii has ever experienced,Governor Green warned.

The state attorney general, following Green, confirmed that conducts a comprehensive review of the actions of the authorities in a critical situation.

And Representative of Hawaii's 2nd congressional district Jill Tokuda told the BBC the state would have to respond to very serious questions.

“Everyone in this particular situation has serious grounds for anger, and we all want answers,” she said.

According to her, she found a heartbreaking picture in Lahaina and that many people lost everything overnight.

After flying over Maui, helicopter pilot Richard Olsten said BBC that even most of the boats in the harbor burned down and sank.

"Historic buildings, church, mission building - all disappeared. The main tourist area, where all the shops and restaurants, historic Front Street, everything burned to the ground,” he said.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has estimated the cost of restoring Lahaina at $5.5 billion.



Problems with the delivery of aid

Police have restricted access to the western part of the island of Maui, fearing the harm that toxic substances formed as a result of fire, can cause people. In the Lahaina and Upper Kula regions, where restored part of the water supply, the authorities warned that drinking water tap is unsafe.

Volunteers from other parts of the island may not always smuggle aid into Lahaina, because the police only let those who can confirm that he lived in it.

For example, Felicia Johnson, who owns a printing press in the city Kahului, independently organized a collection of assistance to the victims.

Her family lived in Lahaina. She raised aid for hundreds dollars, but was unable to pass through the checkpoint.

According to her, the most difficult thing was to persuade the authorities to allow her to travel with donations to the affected city. According to her, many the piers are so damaged that the delivery of aid by water is practically impossible.

Some of the young men who helped her load supplies into hoping to still deliver them to Lahaina, accused the government of negligence and bureaucracy.

"Too many leaders, not enough warriors," said 25 year old Brada Young. "Everyone is in command, but no one is moving," he said. another.



eyewitness accounts

Almost all residents of Lahaina said that the sunny beach the town almost instantly became a place of complete devastation. When the fire reached the water, the sky was covered with thick black smoke, turning the day into night.

It was so thick that visibility was limited. two or three meters. The only things people saw were flying over bright red coals in the air. “There was nothing to see at all, people constantly ran into each other trying to get out, ”said the BBC Richard Tenison.

He saw his friend's big house burn down: "His house disappeared in 10 minutes. Two-story house, eight bedrooms... poof! This fire is literally razed the whole city to the ground.

Trying to save himself, Richard rushed to the grocery store. By On the way he came across three bodies. "These people were already dead," he said. He.

For a tourist from Kansas, Tee Dang is the first evidence that that her vacation became deadly, the owner of her apartment became, who, running past her door, shouted that she and her family urgently needed be saved.

She later got stuck in a car with her husband and three children. traffic jam on the waterfront, Front Street. "It was only half past three or four hours, but there was pitch darkness all around. And explosions were heard everywhere, Ti Dang said.

When the cars standing next to them in traffic began to catch fire, she and her husband grabbed the children and rushed to the safest place: into the ocean, where they remained for almost four hours.

Many residents, including Lynette Johnson, uploaded to cars, everything that fit in them, tried to get out of the city on east, along the only remaining road. But soon they had to literally wade through the flames: “We saw that we were approaching fire. We smelled smoke. Suddenly - boom-boom! - started exploding car tires.

Liz Germansky, whose house burned down completely, said she blamed large number of deaths and the government of the district, and the state government.

"They could have done much more to prevent this tragedy, or notify us. In general, do less than you did them, it would be difficult,” she said.

Liz is now suing the government for rude negligence, property damage and emotional injury. According to her, her house became the scene of the crime in which the murder was committed.