Hawaii fire death toll reaches 80 in the US state's deadliest natural disaster
12 August 2023, 08:25 | Updated: 12 August 2023, 12:07
At least 80 people have been confirmed dead in the wildfires on the US islands of Hawaii.
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Search and rescue teams continue to look for survivors after the fires broke out in Hawaii and devastated part of the island of Maui.
The number of dead has surpassed the 61 people who died in a tsunami in 1960, which was previously Hawaii's deadliest natural disaster since becoming a US state in 1959.
The state's governor Josh Green has warned the death toll will continue to rise.
At least 14,000 people have fled since Tuesday, with another 14,500 expected to be gone by the end of today. Some 11,000 people are still without power on the island.
Around 80 per cent of Lahaina, a popular tourist town on the island's west coast, is "gone", according to Mr Green.
More than 1,000 buildings are destroyed and it could take years to completely rebuild, as President Joe Biden declared a major disaster.
One of the fires, in Lahaina, is now 85% contained, but another in Upcountry Maui is only half under control.
It is unclear what caused the fire, and investigations are underway. Officials will also face questions over why an emergency warning siren seemingly failed to go off.
Survivors said the first they knew of the fire was seeing flames or hearing explosions.
Shocking photos show the devastation of the wildfires, which were made worse by hurricane winds fanning the flames.
They turned a paradise into a hellscape within hours.
They show neighbourhoods completely levelled, lying in smouldering ruins, with ruins of houses burned up trees lining scorched streets.
Aerial pictures show the black, torched town - a former capital of Hawaii with buildings dating back as as far as the 1700s - contrasts with the vibrant blue of the Pacific Ocean.
Some 1,000 people were missing as rescuers race to find survivors.
Residents and visitors fled to evacuation shelters while some were cut off by the fires and had to jump into the ocean in the hope the Coast Guard could rescue them.
Others were led to safety through the burning town by firefighters.
About 15,000 tourists flew out of the island on Thursday.
Mr Green described it as a "heartbreaking day".
"What we've seen today has been catastrophic, but we tell you there's going to be a team effort to bring our state back," Mr Green told reporters.
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"I know the question on your mind is: when can I get back to my home?" Maui Mayor Richard Bissen said - telling people to wait until "we have recovered those that have perished".
"Please allow us to complete this process before we allow people back into their homes," Mr Bissen added.
Kamuela Kawaakoa, who evacuated to a shelter on Tuesday with his partner and son, six, said: "We barely made it out in time. It was so hard to sit there and just watch my town burn to ashes and not be able to do anything.
"I was helpless."
Mr Biden tweeted: "Our prayers are with those whose homes, businesses, and communities are destroyed.
"I have ordered all available federal assets on the Islands to help with response.
"And I urge all residents to continue to follow evacuation orders, listen to the instructions of first responders and officials, and stay alert."
Other parts of the Hawaiian islands have suffered wildfires in recent days.
