2023-08-11 05:15:00
Forest fires have been raging on the US island of Maui since Tuesday.
08/11/2023 | 02:02 minAfter the devastating forest fires in Hawaii, the number of dead has risen to at least 53. “While the extinguishing work continues, 17 more fatalities from the fire (…) in Lahaina were confirmed today,” said the authorities on the island of Maui on Thursday (local time).
Governor: Thousands homeless
Thousands of people are homeless and need shelter, Hawaii Governor Josh Green said. In a previous balance, at least 36 deaths had been reported. Green anticipates a further increase in the number of victims.
In 1960, 61 people died when a tsunami hit Big Island.
Josh Green, Governor of Hawaii
It is “very likely” that the death toll will be higher this time, he added. It is probably the worst natural disaster in the history of the state of Hawaii.
ZDF reporter: Many burned to escape
In the tourist resort of Lahaina on the island of Maui, the fire rushed through with “an incredible speed,” explains ZDF reporter David Sauer. Many people were burned in their homes or in their cars while fleeing. Others might only save themselves in the sea, says Sauer.
ZDF reporter David Sauer explains the factors that fueled the fire:
According to the governor of Hawaii, the city of Lahaina was largely destroyed. He spoke of a “terrible catastrophe”. US President Joe Biden declared a disaster.
I have ordered that all available federal funds be mobilized on the islands to (…) help fight the fires.
Joe Biden, US President
Biden thus released federal aid for the affected areas on the US Pacific archipelago, as the White House announced. The money is intended to benefit people whose houses were destroyed or damaged by the flames. The Department of Transport is working with airlines to fly out tourists, he added.
Overview of the forest fires on Maui (before left, following right)Source: dpa
Forest fires: Maui hospitals overwhelmed
The west coast of Maui, which is popular with tourists, was particularly hard hit by the fires. The Deputy Governor of Hawaii, Sylvia Luke, declared a state of emergency and, according to the broadcaster “CNN”, explained that the hospitals on the island were overloaded due to the many patients with burns and smoke inhalation.
The reality is we have to fly people out of Maui to treat their burns.
Sylvia Luke, Vizegouverneurin von Hawaii
However, it was initially unclear how many people were actually injured. The emergency number and the radio and telephone network were down, Luke explained. “This is not a safe place,” she warned.
Maui, a popular vacation destination in the Pacific, has been hit by wildfires.
10.08.2023 | 01:32 min
Hurricane Dora fuels fires
According to Deputy Governor Luke, the fires were caused by the drought and high winds of Hurricane Dora, which was hundreds of miles south of the Hawaiian Islands.
The fires have already burned hundreds of hectares of land and were fanned by winds with speeds of up to 130 kilometers per hour. Due to the strong winds, no helicopters might have been used to extinguish the fire, an army representative said.
At the beginning of the year, the eruption of the 1,250 meter high Kilauea volcano caused unrest in Hawaii.
07.01.2023 | 00:20 min
Source: AFP, dpa, AP, ZDF
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