On August 14, Hawaii (USA) state officials said the death toll would continue to rise in the serious forest fire that broke out on August 9 on Maui island, while warning of the risk of environmental pollution in the area.
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| Smoke rises from a wildfire in Lahaina, Hawaii, the US, August 9, 2023. Photo: AFP/VNA |
According to the latest official figures, the fire has killed at least 96 people and left more than 1,400 homeless. The total damage from this wildfire disaster is estimated at nearly $6 billion.
Maui officials said two fires were still burning as of the evening of August 13, including one in the coastal town of Lahaina, which has suffered severe infrastructure damage. Hawaii Governor Josh Green said that rescuers had only searched about 3% of the areas they needed to search as of August 12, so the death toll could rise in the coming days. Officials also warned of the risk of water contamination from toxic smoke from the fires.
The state of Hawaii is advising tourists to avoid visiting Maui at this time as most hotels have been used as evacuation shelters, and said it plans to work with Airbnb to ensure temporary housing for residents.
The cause of the Maui wildfire is still unknown, but the National Weather Service said dry vegetation, strong winds and low humidity were to blame. Governor Josh Green said authorities are investigating the incident and reviewing the quality of the emergency response system.
It was the worst disaster to hit Hawaii since 1960, when a tsunami killed 61 people. The town of Lahaina is one of Maui's main tourist attractions, with 2 million visitors a year, or about 80% of all visitors to the island.
VNA
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