15m ago / 5:14 PM EDT
As high as 1,000 feared missing as families beg for help finding loved ones
Some fear the number of people missing in the Maui fires could be as high as 1,000. One Maui resident hopes her grandmother has escaped as she struggles to reach her.
“We don’t know where she is,” the woman told NBC’s “Nightly News.”
When asked what she would want to say to her grandmother, the woman said: “I would tell her ‘we’re looking for her. Grandma, we’re looking for you. If you can reach a phone, call us, let us know where you’re at.'”
So many others are also desperate for contact with their missing loved ones.
“What goes through my mind is do I just go over there and find my dad because no one else is,” another woman said, getting emotional. “If he did get evacuated, where did he get evacuated to? There’s no information regarding that.”
1h ago / 4:29 PM EDT
4,500 people estimated to need shelter
The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Pacific Disaster Center estimate that 51,700 square feet of shelter will be needed for 4,500 people as a result fires on Maui.
3,560 gallons of clean water are also estimated to be required, as well as 9,000 ready to eat meals per day of displacement.
1h ago / 4:00 PM EDT
Norwegian donates $50K, will redirect cruise stops to Hilo
Norwegian Cruise Line is donating $50,000 to help with the fires in Maui, the company said Saturday.
“We are deeply saddened to hear about the wildfires currently impacting the town of Lahaina in Maui. We have a very special relationship with the people and islands of Hawaii, as we sail to the beautiful state year-round,” the cruise liner said. “It is a magical destination and one that is highly sought out by our guests for its natural beauty, culture and unparalleled experiences.”
Cruises with stops in Maui will be redirected to Hilo with an additional overnight stay in Nawiliwili, Kauai for itineraries beginning Aug. 12, 2023, through the end of the month.
Norwegian has also dedicated a team aboard its ship Pride of America to begin collecting items including clothing, diapers and towels. The donations will be given to the Hawaii Community Foundation.
On Friday, Metallica’s nonprofit All Within My Hands also donated $200,000 to the foundation.
“With strong ties to the Hawaiian Islands, the All Within My Hands board voted swiftly to approve a $200,000 grant for the Maui Strong Fund established through the Hawai’i Community Foundation (HCF),” a news release states.
2h ago / 3:41 PM EDT
FEMA deploys more personnel to Maui
The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced Saturday it had deployed more than 150 personnel, including search and rescue teams, with more on the way. Today, Disaster Survivor Assistance teams are in Maui to help residents register for assistance and address any critical needs in the affected neighborhoods.
The organization said FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell was in Hawaii today with U.S. Fire Administrator Dr. Lori Moore-Merrell and Administrator Isabella Guzman of the U.S. Small Business Administration to meet with Gov. Josh Green and other officials to assess the damage.
2h ago / 3:05 PM EDT
Scattered showers and up to 39 mph winds forecast in Lahaina this week
Scattered showers and up to 39 mph winds are forecast this week in Lahaina, according to the National Weather Service field office in Honolulu.
This weekend, isolated showers are expected along with up to 21 mph winds. The rain will continue into next week along with temperatures ranging from 63 to 73 degrees.
Wind gusts will pick up gradually throughout the week and peak on Tuesday at 39 mph, the National Weather Service said.
3h ago / 2:29 PM EDT
More than 2,000 structures damaged or destroyed in Lahaina Fire
Thousands of structures have been damaged or destroyed in the Lahaina fire burning in Maui County, officials said.
Damage assessments show that as of Friday, 2,719 structures have been exposed with 86% classified as residential buildings, according to the Pacific Disaster Center. Just over 2,200 structures were either demolished or mangled.
More than 2,000 acres have burned in the fire, the agency said.
3h ago / 2:05 PM EDT
King Charles extends condolences for Lahaina fire victims
King Charles and his wife, Queen Camilla, extended their condolences to the Lahaina fire victims in a message to President Joe Biden.
“We can only begin to imagine the scale of the devastation engulfing the island, and the heartrending anguish of those whose livelihoods have been so disastrously affected,” he wrote.
“However inadequate it may be,” he continued, “we both wanted to send our deepest possible sympathy to the families of those who have so tragically lost their lives, and our prayers remain with all those whose loved ones are missing and whose homes have been destroyed.”
4h ago / 1:48 PM EDT
Police shut down access to Lahaina at Maalaea checkpoint
Police have shut down access to Lahaina at the Maalaea checkpoint. The checkpoint was open for approximately 90 minutes before the closure as some drivers spent more than 15 hours in line waiting, since Friday, to get in to Lahaina today.
Police told NBC news there was now too much traffic backed up on the road and conditions were dangerous. Frustrated drivers said police were now directing them to travel to Lahaina via the “back way,” around the northern tip of the island. Drivers said the northern route narrows to just one lane in spots.
