As efforts continue to contain the Lahaina fire, 12 additional fatalities have been confirmed Friday afternoon, bringing the death toll to 67 people.
Hawaii Governor Josh Green said, "Without a doubt, there will be more fatalities. We don't know ultimately, how many will have occurred."
The largest natural disaster in the state's history occurred in 1960 when 61 individuals perished due to a tsunami on the big island, Green said this will well exceed that.
The governor was asked how long it would take to get a final count on the number of people who have died, to which he said, "Over the next week, we will get as close to a complete assessment as possible."
The fire was partially caused by high winds from Hurricane Dora and dry conditions. The winds were so strong, they even delayed efforts to fight the flames, as firefighter helicopters were unable to operate in the 85-mile-per-hour winds, according to Maj. Gen. Kenneth Hara.
Despite the tragedy on Maui, Hawaiian officials have shared that the other islands are not being affected by the flames.
“What happened in western Maui is devastating. It’s really, really sad, and our prayers go out to the families. But I also want people to know who are traveling to Hawaii and who are already here, the rest of Hawaii is open,” Jimmy Tokioka, the director of the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism for the state, said during a news conference Thursday.
Listen and subscribe to The L.A. Local podcast: your TL;DR for what's happening in Southern California
Related
