A mobile morgue unit has arrived to help Hawaii officials working painstakingly to identify the remains of people killed in wildfires that ravaged Maui, as the death rose above 100 and teams intensified the search for more dead in neighborhoods reduced to ash. Gov. Josh Green announced the confirmed death toll had risen from 99 to 101 in an afternoon video address, saying, “We are heartsick that we’ve had such loss.”
The US Department of Health and Human Services deployed a team of coroners, pathologists and technicians along with exam tables, X-ray units and other equipment to identify victims and process remains, said Jonathan Greene, the agency’s deputy assistant secretary for response.
“It’s going to be a very, very difficult mission,” Greene said. “And patience will be incredibly important because of the number of victims.”
A week after a blaze tore through historic Lahaina, many survivors started moving into hundreds of hotel rooms set aside for displaced locals, while donations of food, ice, water and other essentials poured in.
Crews usin a statement Tuesday. The governor asked for patience as authorities became overwhelmed with requests to visit the burn area.So far 41 samples have been submitted, the county statement said, and 13 DNA profiles have been obtained from remains.
MAUI’S WILDFIRE ASSISTANCE
- Red Cross Shelters : 575 evacuees across 5 shelters.
- Housing Need: Thousands require 36 weeks of housing.
- Accommodations: 450 hotel rooms, 1,000 Airbnb rentals offered.
- FEMA Assistance: 3,000+ registered, aid covers essentials, home loss.
- Funding Request: Biden seeks $12B more for disaster relief.
