WORLD
Number of dead from Hawaii’s Maui wildfires reaches 99, as governor warns there could be scores more
Baku, August 15, AZERTAC
The number of deaths caused by the Hawaiian Maui wildfires stood at 99 Monday, a figure that is likely to increase as search crews comb neighborhoods where flames moved as fast as a mile a minute, according to AP.
The blazes that consumed most of the historic town of Lahaina are already the deadliest in the U.S. in more than a century. The cause was under investigation.
Gov. Josh Green said the search will take time and and asked for space to do it properly. “For those people who have walked into Lahaina because they really wanted to see, know that they’re very likely walking on iwi,” he said at a news conference on Maui, using the Hawaiian word for “bones.”
In an interview with CBS aired earlier Monday, Green estimated searchers will find the remains of 10 to 20 people per day until they finish their work. “And it’s probably going to take 10 days. It’s impossible to guess, really,” he said.
As cellphone service has slowly been restored, the number of people missing dropped to about 1,300 from over 2,000, Green said.
Twenty cadaver dogs and dozens of searchers are making their way through blocks reduced to ash. As of Monday, they had searched about 25% of the area, up from just 3% over the weekend, said Maui Police Chief John Pelletier.
Meanwhile, some state officials say there is a shortage of water available for firefighters, and they blame a recent ruling by an environmental court judge. It’s part of a long-running battle between environmentalists and private companies over the decadeslong practice of diverting water from East Maui streams that started during Hawaii’s sugar plantation past.
Green said there are people fighting over access to water to fight fires. “We have a difficult time on Maui and other rural areas getting enough water for houses, for our people, for any response,” he said.
Green said the attorney general’s office is reviewing decisions related to the fires.
Hawaiian Electric Co. Inc., Maui’s power provider, will cooperate with the state and do its own investigation, President and CEO Shelee Kimura said.
It’s not clear whether the utility’s equipment played any role in igniting the flames. Hawaiian Electric has faced criticism for not shutting off power as strong winds buffeted a parched area under high risk for fire.
Kimura said many factors go into a decision to cut power, including the impact on people who rely on specialized medical equipment. She also noted that shutting off power in the fire area would have knocked out water pumps.