Tourist sites burning in Hawaii: six dead
- August 9, 2023
- 0
Wildfires fanned by the winds of a distant hurricane devastated the Hawaiian island of Maui on Wednesday, killing at least six people and forcing tourists and locals to
Wildfires fanned by the winds of a distant hurricane devastated the Hawaiian island of Maui on Wednesday, killing at least six people and forcing tourists and locals to flee from tourist destinations that have turned into a blazing hell.
According to a Maui County press release, some people took shelter in the ocean to escape the smoke and fire, prompting the US Coast Guard to rescue them. The American Red Cross has opened an evacuation center at the Maui Institute, the county said.
Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen told a press conference that six people have died in the fires.
Official figures on casualties and building damage were sparse on Wednesday, but panicked residents posted videos and photos on social media showing apocalyptic plumes of smoke, once-paradise beaches and palm trees overhead.
The situation in Hawaii is reminiscent of scenes of devastation in other parts of the world this summer, when heat-driven fires forced the evacuation of tens of thousands of people in Greece, Spain, Portugal and other parts of Europe.
An aerial view of a wildfire in Kihei, Maui County, Hawaii. Photo: Reuters.
Scientists say anthropogenic climate change driven by fossil fuel use is increasing the frequency and intensity of these extreme weather events, and they have long warned that governments must cut emissions to avoid catastrophe.
Dustin Johnson, from San Diego, was based in Lahaina, west of Maui, working for a boat rental company that takes tourists on two-hour excursions from the port.
“I was the last person to leave the pier when the firestorm tore up the banyan trees and took everything with it,” he told Reuters in an interview at Kahului airport, 25 minutes east of Lahaina. “And I ran out to help anyone I could along the way.”
The National Weather Service said the current bushfires are due to a combination of dry vegetation, high winds and low humidity. According to the University of Hawaii, some parts of the archipelago experience major fires almost every year, but their scale is extraordinary.
Hundreds of acres have already been burned Tuesday evening, with roads and schools closed in parts of Hawaii and Maui counties, according to an emergency order issued by Acting Hawaii Gov. Sylvia Luke. Hawaii County covers the Big Island, located south of Maui.
Strong winds destroyed much of the historic city of Lahaina, Hawaii. Photo: Reuters.
Officials say wind from Hurricane Dora fanned flames across the state. The storm was about 795 km south-southwest of Hawaii at 5 a.m. local time, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Hurricane warnings remained in place for all of Hawaii with strong winds up to 40 mph with possible gusts up to 60 mph.
Ian Martin, NWS meteorologist in Honolulu, told Reuters that the strongest of the high winds should end by the end of Wednesday or early Thursday.
Reuters.
Source: Aristegui Noticias
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