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Maui death toll at 115; search moves to multi-story structures

ASSOCIATED PRESS
                                A view of burned areas as the motorcade carrying President Joe Biden to visit areas devastated by the Maui wildfires passes by in Lahaina.
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ASSOCIATED PRESS

A view of burned areas as the motorcade carrying President Joe Biden to visit areas devastated by the Maui wildfires passes by in Lahaina.

ASSOCIATED PRESS
                                This aerial view shows the devastation of Lahaina on Thursday. President Joe Biden will see the destruction firsthand by air and on the ground.
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ASSOCIATED PRESS

This aerial view shows the devastation of Lahaina on Thursday. President Joe Biden will see the destruction firsthand by air and on the ground.

ASSOCIATED PRESS
                                President Joe Biden waves before boarding Air Force One at Reno-Tahoe International Airport in Nevada for a trip to visit the wildfire devastation on Maui today.
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ASSOCIATED PRESS

President Joe Biden waves before boarding Air Force One at Reno-Tahoe International Airport in Nevada for a trip to visit the wildfire devastation on Maui today.

ASSOCIATED PRESS
                                A view of burned areas as the motorcade carrying President Joe Biden to visit areas devastated by the Maui wildfires passes by in Lahaina.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
                                This aerial view shows the devastation of Lahaina on Thursday. President Joe Biden will see the destruction firsthand by air and on the ground.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
                                President Joe Biden waves before boarding Air Force One at Reno-Tahoe International Airport in Nevada for a trip to visit the wildfire devastation on Maui today.

UPDATE: 9:05 p.m.

Maui County officials said that 100% of burned single-story residences have been searched for Lahaina wildfire victims, and now search crews and their cadaver-detecting dogs will concentrate on multi-story properties.

The official confirmed death toll, which was raised by one earlier this evening, stands at 115, while the latest unofficial estimate of the missing is over 700.

“At the time of this announcement, there are 115 confirmed fatalities with 100% of the single-story, residential properties searched in the disaster area. Search teams will now transition to searching multi-story residential and commercial properties,” the county said in a news release issued after 8:30 p.m.

The Maui Fire Department, meanwhile, said it is still battling several ongoing wildfires. MFD said the Olinda fire is 85% contained with about 1,081 acres burned; the Kula fire is 85% contained and has charred 202 acres; the Lahaina fire is 90% contained after burning 2,170 acres and over 2,200 structures.

There are no active fire threats and the fires are not advancing, MFD said Monday night.

5:17 p.m.

The confirmed death toll in the Maui fires has grown to 115 as authorities continue working to identify the remains of those killed in Lahaina.

Maui Police Department has identified two more victims of the deadly fires as Douglas Gloege, 59, and Juan de Leon, 45, both of Lahaina.

“It is with a heavy heart that the County of Maui and the Maui Police Department confirms the following identities of the victims involved in the West Maui Wildfire incident. Our hearts go out to the families, friends, and community affected by this devastating event,” according to a joint statement from Maui Police Department and Maui County.

According to authorities, the families of 13 victims have been notified, and the families of 22 other identified victims have not yet been located or notified.

5 p.m.

Repairs have been completed on electrical circuits in parts of Lahaina as Hawaiian Electric crews continue to rebuild sections of Maui’s electric grid, according to the company in a news release.

Crews are working to complete restoration to customers in the Launiupoko to Olowalu area.

More than 80% of customers who lost electricity have their power restored and more than 90% of customers on Maui have electricity, while approximately 1,800 customers in Olowalu, Lahaina and surrounding areas are still without power. About 50 customers are still without power in Upcountry Maui.

Hawaiian Electric said supplies needed to aid restoration are expected to arrive on Maui this week, including specialized cables used in areas of Upcountry Maui.

More than 400 Hawaiian Electric employees and contractors from the other islands are on Maui to assist with restoration.

1:50 p.m.

The state Department of Education says it has launched a support hotline for families and staff of the four Lahaina public schools — Kamehameha III Elementary, Princess Nahi‘ena‘ena Elementary, Lahaina Intermediate and Lahainaluna High — affected by the Aug. 8 wildfires.

While the schools are closed, families and staff who are facing internet challenges and who need assistance can call (808) 727-6880, Monday through Friday, from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., DOE officials said.

A department representative will help guide those in need with information regarding schools, enrollment, and other resources.

Those with internet connection are encouraged to visit bit.ly/HIDOE-West-Maui-Resources for the latest information and resources.

8:30 a.m.

Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen said Sunday night that there are an estimated 850 people unaccounted for following the deadly wildfires across Maui.

The number is down from estimates of about 1,000. The confirmed death toll from the blazes remains at 114.

Bissen said in a social media post Sunday that 27 victims had been identified and 11 families were notified of the losses. The FBI and the Maui County medical examiner and coroner’s office are working together to identify the recovered remains.

Bissen said 850 names were on a list of missing people, taking hope from the fact that the initial list contained over 2,000 names.

“We are both saddened and relieved about these numbers as we continue the recovery process,” he said. “The number of identified will rise, and the number of missing may decrease.”

PREVIOUS COVERAGE

The search and relief efforts on Maui continue today as the island prepares for a presidential visit and possible rain showers.

As of Sunday night, the Lahaina wildfire death toll remained at 114, unchanged from Friday night, with estimates of the missing at about 1,000.

Maui County released the identities of five more victims of the Aug. 8 Lahaina on Sunday. The five victims, all from Lahaina, are: Conchita Sagudang, 75; Danilo Sagudang, 55; Rodolfo Rocutan, 76; Jonathan Somaoang, 76; and Angelita Vasquez, 88.

The county said that of the 114 confirmed victims, 11 have been identified and their families’ notified, while 16 have been identified but their families have not been located or notified, the county said in its Sunday evening update.

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden left Lake Tahoe this morning and are scheduled to arrive on Maui just after 11 a.m. today to comfort survivors of the Aug. 8 devastating wildfires that leveled Lahaina.

They will be accompanied by FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and plan to meet with federal, state, and local leaders, as well as survivors from the Aug. 8 wildfire catastrophe.

“The president and the first lady will see firsthand the impacts of the devastating wildfires as well as discuss the recovery effort. While in Maui, they will also talk to survivors and thank first responders,” according to a White House news release today.

The Bidens are expected to spend about six hours on Maui before returning to Lake Tahoe where they are vacationing this week.

They will view Lahaina, both from helicopters and on the ground, and the president will deliver remarks paying tribute to the victims

“I know how profoundly loss can impact a family and a community and I know nothing can replace the loss of life,” Biden said in a statement ahead of the trip. “I will do everything in my power to help Maui recover and rebuild from this tragedy. And throughout our efforts, we are focused on respecting sacred lands, cultures, and traditions.”

The White House said Biden will also tap Bob Fenton, a regional leader at the Federal Emergency Management Agency, as chief federal response coordinator for the Maui wildfires, ensuring that someone from his administration will be responsible for long-term recovery efforts.

Nearly two weeks days after the firestorm, federal, state and county officials still do not have a full account of how many people are missing and who they are.

Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, said that as of Sunday about 85% of the affected area had been searched and nearly 2,000 people remained without power and 10,000 were without telecom connectivity. Water in parts of west Maui is not safe to drink.

Schatz, who will be with Biden as the president travels on Maui, stressed that officials were “still responding to the disaster” and “We are not yet in a recovery phase.”

“As bad as this looks, it’s actually worse,” he said in a phone interview with the Associated Press on Sunday. “What you can’t see is the damage to utility infrastructure. What you can’t see is the thousands of kids who are trying to figure out how to go to school this fall. What you can’t see is the first responders who went into the flames without regard for their own safety and had their own homes burned down.”

The forecast for Maui today calls for spotty showers as the remnants of former Hurricane Fernanda pass over parts of the state.


The Associated Press contributed to this report.


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