The wildfires are expected to be the deadliest natural disaster in the state since 1961 when 61 people lost their lives in a tsunami on the Big Island.
“This time, it is very likely that the death toll will significantly exceed that,” says Hawaii Governor Josh Green.
During the night to Friday, Swedish time, at least 53 people were reported to have died.
More than 1,000 buildings have been destroyed in the fires that are still raging in the area surrounding the historically significant coastal town of Lahaina, where almost nothing has been saved. An estimated 80 percent of the city is burned, according to Green.
— There is no doubt that everyone would describe it as if a bomb had hit Lahaina. It is total devastation, he says.
The smoke and heat have forced people to try to escape, some into the Pacific Ocean. The fires have also been exacerbated by the hurricane-like winds that moved in from the south.
US President Joe Biden said earlier on Thursday that the fires in Hawaii are a natural disaster of enormous magnitude. The president also announced that he is freeing up federal emergency response efforts for the archipelago, particularly the hard-hit island of Maui.
Thus, the natural disaster is upgraded to one of the highest risk levels, with extensive federal assistance for those at risk.
In addition, extended evacuation efforts can be made, if necessary. Many are trying to get out of the Hawaiian Islands by air as soon as they can during the ongoing disaster.