The death toll has now risen to 89

The balance sheet continues to grow. At least 89 people have died in wildfires on the Hawaiian island of Maui, the state’s governor announced on Saturday, August 12, while warning that the situation could worsen. “It’s going to keep going up. We want people to be prepared for that.”, said John Green. It was one of the worst natural disasters in the recent history of the American archipelago, already worse than the 1960 tsunami.

According to the federal agency responsible for responding to natural disasters (FEMA), 2,207 buildings, mostly residences, were destroyed or damaged. Hawaii’s historic capital, Lahaina, was almost completely destroyed in the fire, and reconstruction costs are estimated at $5.52 billion. There was fire “Incredible Disaster”According to Jeremy Greenberg, a Fema official interviewed on MSNBC. “These types of fires can spread a distance equivalent to a football field in twenty seconds or less”He explains.

Criticism is also pouring in on the authorities’ crisis management. It is to be noted that the fire alarm sirens were not activated despite several fires. An investigation has been initiated.