As search teams continue to pick through the ashes of Lahaina in search of more victims of last week’s deadly Maui fire, officials have warned that the death toll—now at nearly 100—could double or even triple as crews find more bodies in the coming days and weeks.
Hundreds of people still remained unaccounted for as cadaver dogs helped search teams look for bodies.
Maui County Police Chief John Pelletier told reporters that, as of Saturday night, teams with dogs trained to detect bodies had only covered around 3 percent of the area.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Deanne Criswell told reporters at a White House press briefing Monday that more cadaver dogs were on their way to Lahaina, but that the search was “extremely hazardous” and time-consuming.
“There are structures that are partially standing that engineers have to clear first to make sure it’s safe for the search-and-rescue teams to go into,” she said.
‘Many Tragic Stories’
Mr. Green told the outlet on Monday that, as people make contact with friends and relatives, the number of people still missing is going down, with the total number of those still unaccounted for falling from over 2,000 to around 1,300.He added that teams will probably find between 10 and 20 bodies per day in a search effort that he said would probably take 10 days or so, though how long exactly is “impossible to guess.”
That means the death toll could rise by another 100-200 individuals or so, putting the total as high as 300.
“We are prepared for many tragic stories,“ Mr. Green said, adding that the fast-moving fire ”was so perilous that it took lives“ and ”didn’t leave survivors.”
‘Harrowing Sight’
The fires broke out on Aug. 8, just a few days after the National Weather Service warned that winds from Hurricane Dora, combined with extremely dry conditions raised the risk of wildfires to “high.”“I will tell you this: As a physician, it is a harrowing sight in Maui,” Mr. Green said.
“When those providers, the police and this division, do come across scenes in houses or businesses, it is very difficult for them because they know, ultimately, they will be sharing with our people that there have been more fatalities,” he continued.
“I do expect the numbers to rise.”
Biden Declares Disaster
Last week, President Joe Biden declared a major disaster in Maui, pledging federal aid to the fire-stricken island.FEMA is overseeing the federal response, which includes distributing aid, including $700 payments for critical needs like water, medicine, and accommodation.
Mr. Green called the response over the past several days “comprehensive.”
“We are bringing the full force of government to try to do all we can to alleviate suffering,” he said.
Residents in Lahaina and Upper Kula areas on Monday remained under an unsafe water advisory.
The Lahaina fire—estimated to sprawl across 2,170 acres—is 85 percent contained, with fire crews assigned to monitor and deal with any flareups.
The cause of the fire has not been determined, with many survivors saying they had no warning before the inferno swept through the town at lightning speed.
As wind gusts of up to 80 miles per hour fanned the flames of the quick-spreading fire, some people were forced to flee into the Pacific Ocean to escape the inferno.
A system of sirens intended to alert residents of impending threats did not go off, with the governor of Hawaii joining other officials in vowing to investigate the response to the fire and the state’s emergency notification systems.
