How much of Maui is damaged from Hawaii wildfire? Residents help each other amid complaints of botched emergency response and looting
MAUI, HAWAII: People of Maui, Hawaii, have expressed their disappointment with the local authorities after supply drops have not been reaching the people in need. It has been said that the island wildfires are the deadliest that happened in the US in modern times, claiming the lives of 96 and making thousands homeless.
Amid the difficult time, cases of looting have also increased. Matt Robb, co-owner of a Lahaina bar called The Dirty Monkey, told Insider, “There's some police presence. There's some small military presence, but at night people are being robbed at gunpoint.”
‘People are raped and pillaged’ amid wildfires in Hawaii
“People are raped and pillaged. I mean, they're going through houses — and then by day, it's hunky dory. So where is the support? I don't think our government and our leaders, at this point, know how to handle this or what to do,” Robb shared.
The man went on to blame officials as he mentioned, “It's just been really interesting to see how, when you have a full truck of a pallet of water or feminine products or whatever, and you're trying to help people — that you're being turned away.”
UNCUT never before scene footage of Maui wildfires. Cinematic scenes Driving thru the inferno, helicopter aerial views of the aftermath of the out of control fire. #mauifires from empirical eye. pic.twitter.com/CNSMYNk5s5
— Erin Elizabeth Health Nut News 🙌 (@unhealthytruth) August 11, 2023
Robb added, “And I think there's a better way to organize that to be done, I just don't think it's been done the correct way. I think it comes down to the lack of leadership and the lack of knowledge of how to handle this.”
Authorities are ‘just hanging out at the beach’ amid wildfires
Alen Aivazian, who co-owns The Dirty Monkey, has directly called out the mayor. He told the publication, “I think it's the mayor's fault. If he would've asked, they had Marines, Coast Guards sitting there waiting, ready to go, and he didn't send them over.”
He stated, “Why wouldn't the feds send them over? The mayor didn't ask and the governor didn't push. I mean, what the hell are they doing over there? They're just hanging out at the beach.”
Footage of the initial start of the fires in Lahaina, Maui.#hawaii #wildfire
— The Hotshot Wake Up (@HotshotWake) August 12, 2023
No official cause has been released yet but class action lawsuits have already been opened by multiple law firms, suing the local utility and power companies for their roll in the tragedy.
The class… pic.twitter.com/UGrDbqdEH2
Besides, according to a Maui resident named Kami Irwin, who is assisting coordinate relief works at the Maui Brewing Company location in Kihei, “I had to deal with a situation that wasn't even part of who I am or what I do.”
She added, “I had to talk to pilots that got grounded with our medical supplies who were stuck on the Big Island because the Department of Health stopped them from transporting insulin. And we have people all over the island that need insulin.”
How much of Maui is damaged?
ABC7 New York citing a preliminary report from CoreLogic states that “the Maui wildfires have cost at least $1.3 billion in damage to 3,088 residences.” Besides, the US Civil Air Patrol and the Maui Fire Department have reportedly claimed that around 271 structures have suffered in the disaster.
CoreLogic has also apparently discovered that the resort town of Lahaina has witnessed the most property damage. In its report, the company added that the reconstruction of 2,808 homes will be required in the future which would cost approximately $1.1 billion.