The tragic aftermath of a devastating wildfire in Hawaii has left 80 people dead and residents grappling with the extensive destruction, the foreign media reported on Saturday.
As the shock settles in, concerns over emergency response failures intensify.
More than 2,200 structures bore the brunt of the blaze, leading the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to project a staggering $5.5 billion cost for the reconstruction of impacted communities.
Authorities in Hawaii have announced the commencement of a comprehensive inquiry into the handling of the wildfire.
A congresswoman from the state’s Big Island acknowledged that officials had fatally underestimated the risks posed by the fire.
In the historical resort city of Lahaina on Maui Island, Anthony Garcia, a resident of three decades, told the foreign media about the heart-wrenching loss of his rented apartment and cherished belongings.
The 80-year-old Californian native, now left with nothing but ruins, lamented, “It took everything, everything! It’s heartbreaking… It’s a lot to take in.”
The once-vibrant town of Lahaina, with its rich legacy and proud history as a royal family abode, now lies in ruins, its vibrant establishments reduced to ashes.
Lahaina’s iconic banyan tree, a symbol of community cohesion for over a century and a half, has sustained scars from the flames.
Despite the devastation, it stands defiant, its branches stripped of foliage and its charred trunk resembling a skeletal frame.
Amid the grim aftermath, Hawaii’s Attorney General Anne Lopez announced an official probe to scrutinize crucial decision-making and established protocols leading up to, during, and after the wildfires on Maui and Hawaii islands.
As the magnitude of the tragedy unfolds, Governor Josh Green expressed the grim expectation that the death toll is likely to rise further.
Over 1,400 individuals sought refuge in emergency evacuation shelters.
Criticism of the emergency response has centered around power outages that hindered the delivery of crucial alerts to residents.
Hawaii Congresswoman Jill Tokuda lamented the inadequacy of preparedness in dealing with the fire’s speed and ferocity.
She highlighted the lack of power, leading to the failure of emergency notifications, and emphasized the need for significant improvement moving forward.
The catastrophic wildfires add to a string of extreme weather events that have gripped North America this summer.
Widespread wildfires in Canada and a severe heatwave in the US southwest have cast a shadow over the continent.
Europe and parts of Asia have also confronted extreme temperatures, witnessing destructive fires and floods. Experts attribute these phenomena to the escalating impacts of global warming caused by carbon emissions.
Amid the aftermath, fears of looting loom large.
To prevent unauthorized access, county authorities enforced stringent measures, including curfews and checks on entry to Lahaina.
