Hawaii: Governor warns Maui wildfire death toll may double
August 15, 2023
The governor of the US state of Hawaii warned that the death toll from the devastating wildfires in Maui could drastically rise as responders comb the wreckage for human remains.
"We are prepared for many tragic stories," Governor Josh Green told "CBS Mornings" in a recorded interview that was aired Monday.
Twenty cadaver dogs and dozens of searchers are making their way through devastated blocks of the historic town of Lahaina. "They will find 10 to 20 people per day, probably, until they finish. And it's probably going to take 10 days. It's impossible to guess, really," he said.
This means the death toll, currently estimated at at least 99 people, could double or even triple. As cellphone service has slowly been restored, residents have been able to reconnect with family and friends.
The number of people still missing has been reduced from more than 2,000 to around 1,300, said Green.
Full devastation in Lahaina
More than 2,700 buildings were damaged or destroyed as the fire tore through the town, according to official estimates, causing $5.5 billion (€5.04 billion) in damage.
Lahaina, which served as the Hawaiian kingdom's capital in the early 19th century, was home to around 12,000 residents. It had a bustling tourist street packed with shops and restaurants.
Now, "there's nothing to see except full devastation," said Green, who has visited the town multiple times.
Hawaii authorities face difficulties identifying remains
Meanwhile, police are asking people with missing relatives to provide DNA samples to speed up the process of identifying the human remains.
The intensity of the fire and the extent of the destruction is making identification process difficult.
"The remains we're finding are from a fire that melted metal," said Maui Police Chief John Pelletier. "When we pick up the remains... they fall apart."
The wildfire in Maui is the deadliest in the United States since 1918, when 453 people died in Minnesota and Wisconsin, according to nonprofit research group the National Fire Protection Association.
dh/rs (AP, AFP)