Many "X" characters appeared in the ruins, and the Hawaii fire has caused 114 deaths. The building | fire | ruins

The search and rescue work for the Maui Island fire in Hawaii, USA is still ongoing, and so far, the number of deaths caused by the fire has risen to 114. In the town of La Haina, which suffered the most losses, many buildings and vehicles were sprayed with the word "X", indicating that there were unidentified bodies of the victims.

The increase in the number of fatalities caused by the fire

Local heavy rain may increase the difficulty of search and rescue work

According to the government of Maui County, Hawaii, as of the 18th local time, the number of deaths caused by the fire has risen to 114. The Governor of Hawaii stated that search and rescue personnel have completed searches for around 58% of the affected areas. At present, the fires in Lahaina, Olinda, and Kula in Maoyi County have not been fully controlled. Among them, the area of fire in La Haina exceeded 878 hectares, and the area of fire in Olinda exceeded 437 hectares.

On the 18th local time, CCTV reporter Liu Xu arrived at the severely affected area of La Haina, which was completely destroyed by the fire. At present, engineering personnel have built a continuous wire mesh to completely seal off the area. Some military personnel have also set up roadblocks that prohibit anyone from entering.

According to the meteorological department, it is expected that the possibility of localized heavy rain in Hawaii will increase in the coming days, which may bring difficulties to search and rescue work.

High reconstruction costs in disaster stricken areas

The problem of toxic smoke and dust pollution is difficult to solve

The Maui Island fire in Hawaii not only caused serious casualties in the area, but also caused huge economic losses. According to US media reports on the 18th, the Maui Island fire in Hawaii caused over 2000 buildings to be damaged or destroyed, and building or repairing similar buildings during the reconstruction process is more expensive than in other states in the United States.

In addition, the residents of Maui Island will face the long-term threat to their health caused by the fire. Experts say that local air, water, and debris from buildings may cause pollution, and chemicals such as asbestos and lead are not destroyed during combustion. Instead, they are suspended in ash and dust. Once inhaled, these particles can enter the lungs of the human body and flow into the bloodstream, increasing the risk of various diseases.

"The initial evacuation situation was completely chaotic."

Survivors accuse government departments of not sounding the alarm

The Maui Island fire has caused devastating losses to the local people, and survivors not only mourned but also condemned the government's inadequate and irresponsible rescue efforts in the face of media interviews. After the fire broke out, many local residents fell into panic, and the misjudgment of the fire situation by the local government and the "silence" of the alarm system further disrupted the evacuation.

According to NBC, the reason for this confusion may be related to the local government's misjudgment of the fire. On the morning of the 8th, a high school in La Haina reported a brush fire, and then the local government announced that the fire had been completely controlled, which brought a sense of "safety" to the local residents. A few hours later, the local government reported that the fire had resurfaced under the influence of strong winds, and the entire town was in a state of uncontrollable wildfire.

Survivor Catherine told the media about her escape experience, stating that she and her family were once trapped in a fire on the road, and the town was burned down right in front of her. "The fire engulfed one house after another, spreading to the entire community." Catherine also attempted to reach her mother's residence, but was unable to access it due to the road being closed.

Regarding the incident where the alarm system was not activated during the fire, she stated that if the alarm had sounded at that time, it should have made more people aware of the danger and allowed them to evacuate as soon as possible.

Local residents condemn the government's ineffective rescue efforts:

The aid center is difficult to reach, and rescue supplies rely on private donations

In the resort town of La Haina, which suffered the heaviest losses in this fire, many buildings and vehicles were sprayed with the word "X", indicating that there were unidentified bodies of victims in the building or vehicle.

According to local residents, in the days following the fire, many volunteers distributed food and essential supplies to them, and all the collected food, water, and essential supplies were donated by private individuals and transported by civil organizations or private institutions.

Local disaster victims have stated that the Federal Emergency Management Agency requires people to register on the website in order to receive temporary housing and other assistance. However, the most severely affected areas in the western part of Maui Island are still experiencing power outages and network disruptions, and the victims there are unable to log in to the website. Various official aid centers are located in the eastern part of Maui Island, nearly 20 kilometers away from the western disaster area. As for how to reach the aid center, disaster victims can only think of their own ways.