As the death toll continues to climb, the amount of property damage, destruction, and devastation to the island of Maui is staggering.
Most of Lahaina is reportedly destroyed by a wildfire amid dry and windy conditions. As of the middle of August, at least 93 people had been confirmed dead with 1,000+ missing. At least 11,000 people were forced to evacuate. FEMA estimated that over 2,000 buildings had been destroyed and set the damage estimate at $5.52 billion. Located on the west coast of Maui, Lahaina was once the capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii. It has now been destroyed by wildfires.
The mayor of Maui County summarized the situation with this comment: "I'm telling you, none of it's there. It's all burned to the ground." Among the structures destroyed were Waiola Church and Pioneer Inn.
According to published reports, the fires in Lahaina reportedly outpaced emergency responders and left panicked residents little time to evacuate. Experts have also pointed to longer-term effects that likely exacerbated conditions, including extra flammable nonnative grasses and shrubs that have spread across the islands.
What to know about Hawaii's catastrophic wildfires https://www.axios.com/2023/08/10/hawaii-maui-wildfires-2023-what-to-know
Lahaina locals continue desperate search for loved ones https://www.kitv.com/news/local/lahaina-locals-continue-desperate-searc…
Lahaina residents worry a rebuilt Maui town could slip into the hands of affluent outsiders https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-maui-lahaina-housing-prices-shortage-…
After Maui wildfires kill 96, search for the missing continues
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/maui-like-war-zone-death-toll-wildfire…
8-year-old's Central Park lemonade stand raising money to help a friend in Hawaii https://abc7ny.com/nyc-hawaii-wildfires-wilfire-lemonade-stand-central-…
Meanwhile, some of Rupert Murdoch’s publications want us to pay for this content.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/officials-search-for-remains-of-maui-victi…
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/premium/article/lahaina-maui-lost-cu…
Another publication made it available to all: Effort to count losses in wiped-out Maui is just beginning as wildfire death toll hits 96 “If Peter can walk on water, yes we can. We will get to the shore.”
On a personal note, one of my friends and neighbors tells me he may have lost his son, who was living in Lahaina as a digital nomad. However, he may not have planned for the worst-case scenario. Also, when my wife and I traveled to Maui, we visited a SOTO Zen Monastery and enjoyed a meal with the monks. I have reached out to them via telephone as well as by e-mail, to no avail.
Image: AFP