Over 800 people are missing in the aftermath of the wildfires in Hawaii’s Maui, as the death toll reaches 115.
As of Monday night, first responders had searched all single-story residences and are now moving to “multi-story residential and commercial properties.”
“The most up-to-date fatality numbers and identification information are included in the Maui Police Department’s daily press release, anticipated to be issued by 6 p.m. daily,” Monday evening’s update posted by the county read.
“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,” it added.
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DVIDS via StoryfulAccording to the latest update from the police department, posted on August 21, of the 115 fatalities confirmed, 35 individuals had been indentified. Of those, 13 individuals have been identified and their families notified. Another 22 victims have been identified, but their families either have not been located or have not been notified.
Several hundred individuals, however, remain missing, although the exact number is unknown.
As the Associated Press reported:
There are also widely varying accounts of the tally of the missing. Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said Sunday on the CBS News show “Face the Nation” that more than 1,000 remained unaccounted for. Maui Mayor Richard Bissen said in a pre-recorded video on Instagram that the number was 850. And during President Joe Biden’s tour of the devastation on Monday, White House homeland security adviser Liz Sherwood-Randall put it between 500 and 800.
According to Hawaii Gov. Josh Green (D), as of Sunday, 85 percent of the “impact zone” had been searched.
08/20/23 — Current Situation
— Governor Josh Green (@GovJoshGreenMD) August 20, 2023
85% of the impact zone has been searched. pic.twitter.com/An8j7WYLZY
President Biden visited Maui roughly two weeks after the disaster struck, joking about the “hot ground” as he visited with first responders.
JUST IN: President Biden jokes about how hot the ground is in Maui after a fire ripped through, killing hundreds.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) August 21, 2023
“You guys catch the boots out here? That’s a hot ground, man,” he joked.
Despite media reports of roughly 100 deaths from the fires, locals estimate that at least… pic.twitter.com/mRlVuN9kns
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County of Maui / Facebook