Authorities say they expect the death toll to rise significantly. Wildfires are still burning and firefighters are working to bring them under control. These pictures are from the Us National Guard which is providing assistance. Hawaiians are donating supplies to be sent to the worst affected areas. But locals on the island of maui say much more help is needed. Hawaiis governor gave this update. It is a harrowing sight in maui. When those providers, the police in this division, do come across scenes in houses or businesses, its very difficult for them because they know ultimately theyll be sharing with our people that there have been more fatalities. I do expect the numbers to rise. Our North America correspondent sophie long, whos on maui, has been hearing from some of the bereaved and survivors who have lost everything. She sent this report. The fire left more than a city devastated, and charred black buildings behind. Existential questions hover above the emptiness. How can you rebu
And then these high winds, winds averaging 70 mph, reignited those flames and, at times, they now believe that that fire was moving at a speed of one mile every minute, leaving those residents of lahaina with little chance of escaping. Now here at this harbour today, weve met volunteers who have been taking their boats, packing their boats with aid, trying to get over to lahaina to distribute much needed humanitarian aid. People still need food, water, clean drinking water, shelter. The absolute basics at the moment, which are in short supply. And, speaking to everyone, you get the sense that people are traumatised here. Many people from lahaina in particular have lost absolutely everything but, because their humanitarian needs are so great, theyre barely able to process the loss. Theyre barely able to grieve when essentially they are sleeping out in the open in some cases when they have such dire humanitarian needs. There are other concerns about the weather. You can see that at times
humanitarian needs. there are other concerns about the weather. you can see that at times we are seeing high winds here which always causes concerns about blazes being reunited, about blazes being reignited, potentially spreading further. we ve had some much needed and much welcome rain briefly today, but then further concerns from residents saying that if there s too much rain, if there is the potential forflooding over in lahaina could that complicate recovery efforts further? because right now people are combing through the rubble to try and find their loved ones, to try and identify their loved ones, and there s the concern that that could be washed away. let s bring in professor stefan doeerr from the centre of wildfire research at swansea university. good to see you. when we think of hawaii, we don t often think about fires and wildfires but they do have
and, speaking to everyone, you get the sense that people are traumatised here. many people from lahaina in particular have lost absolutely everything but, because their humanitarian needs are so great, they re barely able to process the loss. they re barely able to grieve when essentially they are sleeping out in the open in some cases when they have such dire humanitarian needs. there are other concerns about the weather. you can see that at times we are seeing high winds here which always causes concerns about blazes being reunited, about blazes being reignited, potentially spreading further. we ve had some much needed and much welcome rain briefly today, but then further concerns from residents saying that if there s too much rain, if there is the potential forflooding over in lahaina could that complicate recovery efforts further? because right now people are combing through the rubble to try and find their loved ones, to try and identify their loved ones, and there s the concern t