The death count in the Hawaii wildfire crossed the 100 mark on Tuesday, with officials now started releasing the names of those killed in one of the most deadly fire incidents in the history of the United States, at least in the past 100 years.
According to the statement released by the emergency services, the death count stands at 106 while the rescue mission is still going on. A mobile morgue unit that arrived on Tuesday to help Hawaii officials working painstakingly to identify remains named two victims, Lahaina residents Robert Dyckman, 74, and Buddy Jantoc, 79.
"Currently, we have identified three individuals who are pending next of kin notification. At the time of this release, there have been 106 human remains recovered, awaiting identification," read the statement released by Maui Police Department.
"We understand that this is an incredibly difficult time for the families, and we ask that the media and the public respect the privacy of the grieving families. We will continue to work closely with the families to ensure that they are updated and supported throughout this process," it added.
The governor warned that scores more bodies could be found. The wildfires, some of which have not yet been fully contained, are already the deadliest in the US in more than a century. Their cause was under investigation.
When asked by Hawaii News Now if children are among the missing, Green said Tuesday: “Tragically, yes. ... When the bodies are smaller, we know it’s a child.”
He described some of the sites being searched as “too much to share or see from just a human perspective.” Another complicating factor, Jonathan Greene, the agency’s deputy assistant secretary for a response., is that storms with rain and high winds were forecast for the weekend. Officials are mulling whether to “preemptively power down or not for a short period because right now all of the infrastructure is weaker.”
A week after the fires started, some residents remained with intermittent power, unreliable cellphone service and uncertainty over where to get assistance. Some people walked periodically to a seawall, where phone connections were strongest, to make calls. Flying low off the coast, a single-prop airplane used a loudspeaker to blare information about where to get water and supplies.
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