Wildfire roars through Hawaii’s historic Lahaina
A miraculous moment unfolded during the Maui wildfires rescue efforts this week when 60 survivors were found alive sheltering inside a single home.
The large group had taken refuge in the property in western Maui back on 8 August when the fires first swept through the Hawaiian island, Maui County Mayor Richard Bisset said.
But, they were cut off without electricity and mobile phone coverage since and so their whereabouts – and whether or not they had made it out alive – had been unknown.
Many residents were less fortunate however, with the death toll from the wildfires now climbing to 111 as officials estimate that around 1,300 residents still remain unaccounted for.
The official cause of the fires is still yet to be determined, but security footage of a tree falling on a power line at a Maui bird sanctuary is being investigated as a possible trigger. Others point to the role of downed power lines elsewhere on the island and flammable grasses.
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden announced on Wednesday that they will travel to Maui on Monday 21 August – following criticism over the White House's response to the disaster.
