Over 1K People Feared Missing in Maui, Over 2K Buildings Destroyed
The damage from last week’s Maui wildfires has left over 1,000 people missing, and more than 2,000 buildings destroyed. According to the New York Post , the death toll is now estimated to be 96 and only two of those…
The damage from last week’s Maui wildfires has left over 1,000 people missing, and more than 2,000 buildings destroyed.
According to the New York Post, the death toll is now estimated to be 96 and only two of those victims have been identified. The destruction burned down the city of Lahaina — which has a population of 13,000 people. Clean-up efforts have only just begun.
Maui County officials have only been able to survey around 3% of the land but estimate the damage at close to $6 billion.
Hawaii Gov. Josh Green spoke about the situation at a press conference Sunday, noting that it will take months to properly go through everything touched by the fires.
He said, “It’s going to take many years to rebuild Lahaina. It does appear like a bomb went off.”
Identifying the victims has become an obstacle for officials due to the damage done to the remains.
Maui Police Chief John Pelletier has asked survivors to do DNA tests, stating, “We need you to do the DNA test. We need to identify your loved ones.”
Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, also went on CNN’s “State of the Union” Sunday and spoke about the loss. She admitted that more than 1,000 people are still missing.