(VOVWORLD) - At least 89 people have died in wildfires on the Hawaiian island of Maui, officials said, making it the deadliest US wildfire in more than a century and with the toll expected to rise.
 Wildfire in Hawaii, the US (photo: AFP/VNA) |
State governor Josh Green told reporters on Saturday that the material damage from the devastating wildfires in the past week was estimated at 6 billion USD.
After viewing the devastation in Front Street, Green said more than 2,200 structures were damaged or destroyed, in which 86% are private houses. Their focus now is to reunite people when they can and get them housing and health care, and then turn to rebuilding, said Green.
The US National Weather Service said fueled by a dry summer and strong winds from a passing hurricane, the wildfires on Maui raced through parched brush covering the island.