charred vehicles; Fire-wrought metals and blackened pillars; Beneath a mountain of rubble, the casing of an empty washing machine, the only indication that there was ever a house on this street in Lahaina, the former Hawaiian capital on the island of Maui, reduced to ashes by the deadliest fire in the United States . in more than a century. “The devastation is overwhelming,” President Joe Biden admitted during his visit to the city Monday, two weeks after the fire that left at least 114 dead and 850 missing; The teams on the ground informed him that some of the latter might never be located.
The US President, accompanied by his wife Jill Biden, traveled to Maui to see first-hand the magnitude of the disaster and to deliver a message of encouragement and comfort. The president had received harsh criticism from Republicans for his public silence in the first few days after the disaster, when he responded with “no comment” to a question about it. Some allegations particularly hurt a president who wants to make compassion his brand image. Since then, the White House has consistently noted the speed and effectiveness of federal assistance to those affected — thousands of Federal Disaster Management Agency (FEMA) officers are on the scene — and defended that Biden answered that because I didn’t hear the question.
“As long as it lasts, we will be with you. “The whole country will be with you,” said Biden of Front Street, the “ground zero” of the disaster. And he pointed to the hundred-year-old banyan tree, the symbol of the city. Although badly burned, it still stands. And the experts who look after him assure that he will progress with special care. “The fire has not reached its roots,” Biden argued. “This is Maui. This is America.”
He also wanted to allay fears among local people that rebuilding would dilute their culture or favor speculators. “We will rebuild the way the people of Maui want to rebuild,” honoring Hawaiian traditions, sacred sites and culture. A message he reiterated at a meeting with some 350 community leaders, disaster survivors and volunteers.
Complaints about the delay in the presidential visit
Not everyone seemed to accept this message in Lahaina, where there have been many complaints about the late arrival of aid and disaster management. As his entourage passed, some onlookers greeted him with a Hawaiian thumb-pinky finger gesture and wished him well. Others chose the middle finger.
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Following the US President’s words of encouragement, Lahaina, a pre-disaster city of 12,000, faces a reality fraught with problems that will take years to resolve. FEMA data shows it has received nearly 8,000 requests for assistance. The temporary shelters of the first few days have already been emptied and almost 2,000 people have been temporarily accommodated in hotel rooms and tourist residences.
The challenge now is to enable these evacuees to return to normal life. That the children can go back to school now that the new course starts. That those who have lost their homes will once again have a decent living space where they can feel at home. Speaking to reporters, White House Internal Security Advisor Liz Sherwood-Randall said, “A recovery of this magnitude is a matter of years, not months.” situation where they can function again and enjoy a life of dignity.”
A key part of this is locating the disappeared and discovering and identifying remains. A particularly difficult task, but neither effort nor time will be spared, promised Sherwood-Randall. “It’s important that people are able to turn the page,” he insisted, and at least “understand what happened to their loved ones when they don’t have the satisfaction of knowing they survived.”
The intensity of the fire was so great that it is still not 100% under control. The high temperatures of the embers, the presence of glass and other debris mean that dog teams searching through the debris must work with special protection, including booties for the legs, and rest often.
The dogs’ work is vital, the senior official stressed, as they can use their sense of smell to distinguish between human remains and those of other living beings. These animals have already examined 2,000 buildings and 4,000 vehicles caught in the flames.
The flames consumed the bodies beyond recognition in many cases. Around 450 people are involved in the search and identification effort, including coroners and dentists, X-ray technicians and fingerprint specialists. So far, 27 of the 114 deceased have been named, and authorities have asked relatives of the disappeared to provide DNA samples to help with the work.
Two more weeks to complete the quest
According to the Hawaiian government, 86% of the burned area has already been examined. But the most complicated part is missing: the multi-storey buildings, which require raising some floors and structures. Local authorities believe the search will continue for at least two more weeks.
According to the Mayor of Maui, about 850 people are on the official missing persons list, which the FBI compiled after reviewing lists prepared by its own Honolulu office, the Red Cross, the Maui Department of Emergency Situations and the local island police force , Richard Bites. The list now includes two thousand names, but about 1,300 people on the list have been located.
Authorities recognize that among those whose whereabouts are still unknown, it is more than likely that there is at least a portion who can never be found. Hawaii Gov. Josh Green admitted on CBS last Sunday, “We are extremely concerned that given the temperatures of the fire, in some cases the remains of those who died may not be recoverable.” So there will be people who will forever will be lost.
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