The death toll in Maui continues to rise after the devastating forest and wildfires in the US state of Hawaii. Authorities in Maui County have reported 96 deaths so far. The small town of Lahaina, which had a population of 13,000 before the accident, was particularly hard hit. Many streets there look like they are in a war zone. “The whole town of Lahaina doesn’t exist anymore,” says the drummer for Fleetwood Mac, a longtime resident of the island of Maui.
The particularly disastrous fire around the town of Lahaina in the west of the island is now 85 percent under control, according to authorities. In the interior of Maui, the fire around Kula is 100 percent under control.
“Total Destruction”
In an interview with UK broadcaster Sky News, British rock musician Mick Fleetwood described the devastating forest and bushfires in his adopted home of Hawaii as an “incredible shock” to residents. The 76-year-old drummer and co-founder of the band Fleetwood Mac also owned a restaurant in Lahaina years ago. He spoke of “utter destruction”. His restaurant also burned down.
When he learned of the disaster, he was in Los Angeles visiting relatives, but immediately flew back. He also brought supplies. “Those hills were on fire and I wasn’t there,” said Fleetwood. “I felt helpless and was always thinking about what I could do.” He was lucky and did not lose any family. His house was not destroyed either.
consequences of climate change
Now he wants to help ensure that the accident is not forgotten. “The thought of it becoming a kind of playground, apart from the dignity of this town, I find repugnant,” said Fleetwood. Regarding the impacts of climate change, the musician called for “a quiet reverence to keep our eyes and ears open to the world we live in”.
Rebuilding Maui is costing billions
“This is the worst natural disaster in our history,” Hawaii Governor Josh Green said Sunday, again warning that the death toll is likely to continue to rise. According to US media, the fires are the worst wildfires in US history in at least 100 years. It is estimated that Maui will cost more than $5.5 billion to rebuild.
criticism of authorities
There was criticism that early warning sirens were not used on Maui. The rescue effort was made even more difficult by the fact that the north and south of Lahaina can only be reached via a major access road. There is also criticism that the responsible energy supplier did not cut off the power supply in time. Falling power cables would have caused further fires.
‘No one had any idea what was going on’
Survivor Emilie Jorns-Frisque told CNN that she did not hear any warning sirens. She also could not receive text message alerts because there was no network in large parts of the island. “No one had any idea what was going on,” she said, describing the situation when the fire broke out.
As she fled, she found herself in a traffic jam surrounded by high winds and black smoke. “There was almost like fire tornadoes and debris tornadoes, and then little fires broke out all over the place.” Firefighter Tasha Pagdilao spoke to the station of an “apocalypse”.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
