2023-08-09 23:33:00
At least six people have died in wildfires in Hawaii. Parts of the historic small town of Lahaina, Maui went up in flames. The Coast Guard rescued people from the sea who had fled the fire into the water.
Wildfires have killed at least six people on the Hawaiian island of Maui and destroyed parts of the historic small town of Lahaina, which is popular with tourists. The Front Street promenade with numerous shops and restaurants was also affected, as a spokeswoman for the Maui district on the island of the same name said.
People took refuge in the sea from fire and smoke. The US Coast Guard tweeted that 12 people had been rescued from the water off Lahaina. District Mayor Richard Bissen confirmed six fatalities. He did not say in which part of the island they perished.
Many travelers are stuck
Satellite photos from the space agency NASA appeared to show flames in large parts of the center of the former whaling town. Photos of burnt down buildings could also be seen on social media.
Governor Josh Green broke off a private trip and wanted to arrive back in Hawaii on Wednesday. On Platform X, formerly known as Twitter, the county government warned against driving toward Lahaina. Many streets in the city are closed.
Numerous people tried to get out of the city to safety, only one road was still available for this. Four emergency shelters were opened for evacuees, and according to Mayor Bissen, more than 2,100 people spent the night there. An estimated 2,000 travelers were stranded at Maui Airport on Wednesday morning, and flights were canceled. Thousands of homes and businesses were without power.
Aerial photos show the extent of the destruction.
Hurricane continues to fan flames
The National Weather Service said Hurricane Dora, which passed a safe distance about 800 kilometers south of the Hawaiian island chain, was partly responsible for winds gusting more than 120 kilometers per hour, which fueled the fire, and for power outages. Firefighting helicopters had to stay on the ground because of the strong wind.
Several people with burn injuries were flown to a special clinic in Honolulu on the main island of Oahu, a spokeswoman for the emergency services agency said. On Maui and the Big Island, where around 200 homes were threatened by flames, several other wildfires were blazing uncontrollably, officials said. It was not immediately known what caused the fire.
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