At least 36 people have died in Maui (Hawaii) fruit of the forest fires that have occurred in the area in recent days. “36 dead have been found as a result of the active fire in Lahaina,” Maui County said in a statement carried by CNN.
Wildfires, fanned by strong winds from Hurricane Dora, have taken the island of Maui by surprise, leaving behind charred cars in the middle of the street and turning historic buildings into rubble. The flames have raged throughout the night, forcing groups of adults and children to wade into the seawater for safety.
The authorities report that 271 infrastructures have been damaged or destroyed and dozens of people are injured.
Many neighborhoods have been reduced to ashes and the western part of the island is virtually isolated, with only one open highway, as authorities reported widespread devastation from Lahainaits port and the surrounding areas.
Some 271 structures were damaged or destroyed, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports, citing official reports of overflights by the US Civil Air Patrol and the Maui Fire Department.