2023-08-10 06:48:02
WAILUKU, Hawaii (AP) — The sky was dark with smoke and flames roared through the historic Hawaiian town of Lahaina when Kamuela Kawaakoa returned to her apartment following a quick trip to the grocery store to buy water with her partner and his six year old son. They grabbed some clothes and started to run as the bushes around them started to burn.
Across the street, a senior center was on fire. They called the 911 emergency phone but they don’t know if people were able to get out on time. Fire alarms were sounding. As they drove away Tuesday followingnoon, downed power poles and fleeing cars slowed their progress.
“We almost didn’t make it on time,” Kawaakoa said at an evacuation center on Wednesday, still uncertain if anything of her apartment was left standing.
At least six people died when the fires, fueled by strong winds from Hurricane Dora that passed far to the south, took the island of Maui by surprise, leaving behind charred cars on once-busy streets and smoking piles of rubble where They built historic buildings. The fire raged throughout the night, forcing adults and children to wade into the ocean for safety.
Kawaakoa, 34, grew up in the apartment, called Lahaina Surf, which is also where her father and grandmother lived. Lahaina Town dates back to the 18th century and has long been a favorite destination for tourists.
“It was very hard to sit there and watch my city burn down helplessly,” he said. “I felt powerless.”
Crews were still battling the flames Wednesday in various areas of the island. According to authorities, 271 structures were damaged or destroyed by the flames and dozens of people were injured, but it was feared that the death toll might rise. In addition, visitors were asked not to approach the area.
The fires were the latest in a series of problems caused by extreme weather across the globe this summer. According to experts, climate change is increasing the chances of these phenomena occurring.
As the winds eased on Maui, some flights resumed Wednesday, allowing pilots to see the extent of the devastation. Aerial video of Lahaina showed dozens of flattened homes and businesses, including on Front Street, where tourists used to go shopping and dining. Smoldering piles of rubble lay along the waterfront, the boats in the harbor were damaged, and gray smoke rose from the leafless skeletons of charred trees.
The Coast Guard said it rescued 14 people, including two children, who had jumped into the water to escape the flames and smoke.
Among the injured were three people with critical burns who were taken to the burn unit at Straub Medical Center on the island of Oahu, authorities said. At least 20 patients were taken to Maui Memorial Medical Center, they added, and one firefighter admitted for smoke inhalation was in stable condition.
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