A Hawaiian town‘s residents apparently had no choice but to jump into the ocean to escape the raging wildfires that are consuming parts of Maui.
Lahaina, which was partially destroyed or significantly damaged by the fire, was the site of “apocalyptic scenes,” according to local media.
Aside from causing power outages, the fire forced evacuations. Debris has complicated the rescue operation.
There are at least seven active fires in Hawaii, including the one in Lahaina.
Several homes and businesses have been damaged in the city of roughly 13,000 inhabitants on the western portion of Maui, the second-largest and third-most populous island in the state, according to a local CBS News affiliate, the BBC’s US partner.
The US Coast Guard reports that 12 persons were saved after jumping into the water to flee the fire.
Videos sent on social media from the island show the town’s main street and a number of nearby shops on fire, however it is unclear how much damage was done.
According to local business owner Alan Dickar, “buildings on both sides were engulfed.” “At that time, there were no fire trucks. The fire department was probably overworked.
Mr. Dickar continued, “Many individuals just lost their employment since many businesses burnt. Many folks lost their homes; this will be disastrous for Maui.
Dustin Kaleiopu, another local, told Hawaii News Now that his home was among those lost in the blaze.
“Everything we had ever known had vanished. Every single memory we had of this home—our church, our schools, and so on—he remarked. In the blink of an eye, everything vanished.
According to the Honolulu office of the National Weather Service, there are multiple fires burning in Hawaii as a result of Hurricane Dora’s powerful winds blowing from hundreds of miles away, low humidity, and dry air. Winds have reportedly made it more difficult to employ helicopters for firefighting operations, according to local officials.
Large portions of Maui were evacuated, and roads and schools were closed as a result of the fires. Residents who had to leave their homes have been provided with shelter.
According to PowerOutage.us, as of 9:00 EST (14:00 BST), almost 15,000 individuals are still without electricity.
Acting governor of Hawaii Sylvia Luke declared an emergency and called in the National Guard on Tuesday night. Josh Green, the state’s governor, is on the road.
Given the several fires and countless evacuations in the various district regions, it is undoubtedly one of the more difficult days for our island, County of Maui spokesperson Mahina Martin told CBS on Tuesday.
Hawaii rarely experiences large fires like those that ravage California and other western US states.
However, experts have cautioned that they are frequently more harmful since they can eliminate vegetation and Hawaii’s ecology evolved without fires before the arrival of humans.