Incendiile de vegetație care au devastat insula Maui din arhipelagul american Hawaii au făcut puțin 36 de morți, au anunțat miecuri seară, 9 august, autoritățile locale citate de Reuters și CNN. Operațiunile de căutare şi salvare sunt în desfăşurare, iar bilanţul s-ar putea agrava pe măsură ce flăcările continuă să pârjolească paradisul din Oceanul Pacific.
„Pe măsură ce eforturile de stingere a incendiilor continuă, 36 de decese au fost confirmate astăzi în mijlocul incendiului activ de la Lahaina. Nu sunt disponibile alte detalii în acest moment”, au transmis autoritățile din Maui.
Alimentate de vânturile puternice, incendiile izbuncite marți seară au devastat până acum case şi magazine, făcând ravagii mai ales în oraşul turistic Lahaina. Dincolo de morți, locuințe au fost arse din temelii, oamenii au fost evacuați din casele lor, iar alimentarea cu electricitate a fost întreruptă pentru mii de gospodării.
„Tocmai am avut cel mai mare dezastru pe care l-am văzut vreodată. Toată Lahaina este arsă. Este ca o apocalipsă”, a spus Mason Jarvi, rezident din Lahaina, care a fost evacuat din oraș.
O operațiune uriașă de căutare și salvare este în desfășurare, mai multe persoane fiind date dispărute.
„Abia am reușit să scăpăm la timp. A fost atât de greu să stau acolo și să mă uit la orașul meu cum arde și nu pot face nimic”, a declarat pentru Associated Press Kamuela Kawaakoa, o localnică care a fugit marți într-un adăpost de evacuare împreună cu partenerul său și fiul lor de șase ani.
Un alt localnic, pe nume Daniel Sullivan, a descris, la rândul său, evenimentele ca fiind „apocaliptice”.
Casa lui nu a fost cuprinsă de incendiu, dar bărbatul a spus că mulți prieteni de-ai săi și-au pierdut-o în incendiile care au izbucnit pe Maui. „Insula a fost decimată. Adăposturile în care se duceau oamenii trebuiau evacuate pentru că incendiile ajungeau și acolo. A fost apocaliptic. Nu am văzut niciodată așa ceva”, a spus bărbatul pentru CNN.
Situația din Hawaii a fost descrisă de autorități ca fiind extrem de gravă și au spus că unii oameni au fost salvați din ocean, unde au sărit pentru a se adăposti din calea flăcărilor.
Peste 11.000 de persoane au fost transportate cu avionul din Maui miercuri, a declarat Ed Sniffen, directorul Departamentului de Transport din Hawaii, la o conferință de presă. În același timp, oficialii i-au îndemnat pe nerezidenți să plece din Maui cât mai repede posibil.
August 9, 2023, Kula, Hawaii, USA: A Kula home that Civil Beat’s Maui reporter Marina Riker was renting burned in the wildfires this week. At least six people have died in fires in Maui, officials said Wednesday. Some injuries have been reported, but officials did not provide a number. Crews continue to battle fires in Maui and the Big Island, which have been fanned in part by strong winds from Hurricane Dora, a Category 4 storm.,Image: 795742028, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no
This handout video grab courtesy of Richard Olsten taken on August 9, 2023 shows smoke billowing from destroyed buildings as wildfires burn across Maui, Hawaii. At least six people have been killed in a wildfire that has razed a Hawaiian town, officials said Wednesday, as desperate residents jumped into the ocean in a bid to escape the fast-moving flames.,Image: 795761890, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE – MANDATORY CREDIT “AFP PHOTO / Richard Olsten” – NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS – DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS, ***
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This handout video grab courtesy of Richard Olsten taken on August 9, 2023 shows smoke billowing from destroyed buildings as wildfires burn across Maui, Hawaii. At least six people have been killed in a wildfire that has razed a Hawaiian town, officials said Wednesday, as desperate residents jumped into the ocean in a bid to escape the fast-moving flames.,Image: 795761894, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE – MANDATORY CREDIT “AFP PHOTO / Richard Olsten” – NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS – DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS, ***
HANDOUT image or SOCIAL MEDIA IMAGE or FILMSTILL for EDITORIAL USE ONLY! * Please note: Fees charged by Profimedia are for the Profimedia’s services only, and do not, nor are they intended to, convey to the user any ownership of Copyright or License in the material. Profimedia does not claim any ownership including but not limited to Copyright or License in the attached material. By publishing this material you (the user) expressly agree to indemnify and to hold Profimedia and its directors, shareholders and employees harmless from any loss, claims, damages, demands, expenses (including legal fees), or any causes of action or allegation against Profimedia arising out of or connected in any way with publication of the material. Profimedia does not claim any copyright or license in the attached materials. Any downloading fees charged by Profimedia are for Profimedia’s services only. * Handling Fee Only
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This handout video grab courtesy of Richard Olsten taken on August 9, 2023 shows smoke billowing from destroyed buildings as wildfires burn across Maui, Hawaii. At least six people have been killed in a wildfire that has razed a Hawaiian town, officials said Wednesday, as desperate residents jumped into the ocean in a bid to escape the fast-moving flames.,Image: 795761900, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE – MANDATORY CREDIT “AFP PHOTO / Richard Olsten” – NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS – DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS, ***
HANDOUT image or SOCIAL MEDIA IMAGE or FILMSTILL for EDITORIAL USE ONLY! * Please note: Fees charged by Profimedia are for the Profimedia’s services only, and do not, nor are they intended to, convey to the user any ownership of Copyright or License in the material. Profimedia does not claim any ownership including but not limited to Copyright or License in the attached material. By publishing this material you (the user) expressly agree to indemnify and to hold Profimedia and its directors, shareholders and employees harmless from any loss, claims, damages, demands, expenses (including legal fees), or any causes of action or allegation against Profimedia arising out of or connected in any way with publication of the material. Profimedia does not claim any copyright or license in the attached materials. Any downloading fees charged by Profimedia are for Profimedia’s services only. * Handling Fee Only
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This handout video grab courtesy of Richard Olsten taken on August 9, 2023 shows smoke billowing from destroyed buildings as wildfires burn across Maui, Hawaii. At least six people have been killed in a wildfire that has razed a Hawaiian town, officials said Wednesday, as desperate residents jumped into the ocean in a bid to escape the fast-moving flames.,Image: 795761902, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE – MANDATORY CREDIT “AFP PHOTO / Richard Olsten” – NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS – DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS, ***
HANDOUT image or SOCIAL MEDIA IMAGE or FILMSTILL for EDITORIAL USE ONLY! * Please note: Fees charged by Profimedia are for the Profimedia’s services only, and do not, nor are they intended to, convey to the user any ownership of Copyright or License in the material. Profimedia does not claim any ownership including but not limited to Copyright or License in the attached material. By publishing this material you (the user) expressly agree to indemnify and to hold Profimedia and its directors, shareholders and employees harmless from any loss, claims, damages, demands, expenses (including legal fees), or any causes of action or allegation against Profimedia arising out of or connected in any way with publication of the material. Profimedia does not claim any copyright or license in the attached materials. Any downloading fees charged by Profimedia are for Profimedia’s services only. * Handling Fee Only
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The hall of historic Waiola Church in Lahaina and nearby Lahaina Hongwanji Mission are engulfed in flames along Wainee Street on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii.,Image: 795754316, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: This content is intended for editorial use only. For other uses, additional clearances may be required.
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