people here are bracing for that fatality count to jump again here. and the damage to lahaina is just it s as bad as you can imagine. it s as bad as paradise, california, the deadliest fire from a few years back. that was a mountain grunt. this is grass, this is invasive grassland that was fueled by these unbelievably punishing winds. turned into a blow torch. was so fast, this is the scene now. they ve finally opened up the road to lahaina so people, residents, even tourists who left everything and are going back to get their passports and salvage their things, is just miles long. i think we have a drone shot to give you a sense. this butcher to bumper as maui county is overwhelmed with this disaster. we ve heard dozens of sirens. we checked, apparently there s a fatal accident that happened as all of this stressful chaos is unfolding here.
the need for assistance is great, but so too are the challenges to meeting it. the only land route to those most in need has been blocked. sirens. as road access to lahaina was opened and people started to make their way back to see what, if anything, remains, hawaii s governor urged people to prepare themselves to witness destruction like they ve never seen. vicksay and his family were here on holiday from california. caught by the flames, they almost lost their lives. we left our vehicle and my my, my saw my wife and our five kids, we all got in the ocean. we found a floating board that we hung on to. we re out there floating. it s so surreal and everything is burning around and explosions, cars blowing up.
the fires that claimed them and the lives of those inside may be contained, but they re still burning. thousands have been left homeless by the ferocious flames fanned by winds from an offshore hurricane. thank you very much. yeah. they flocked to shelters seeking food and water. the need for assistance is great, but so too are the challenges to meeting it. the only land route to those most in need has been blocked. sirens. as road access to lahaina was opened and people started to make their way back to see what, if anything, remains, hawaii s governor urged people to prepare themselves to witness destruction like they ve never seen. vicksay and his family were here on holiday from california. caught by the flames, they almost lost their lives.
to meeting it. the only land route to those most in need has been blocked. sirens. as road access to lahaina was opened and people started to make their way back to see what, if anything, remains, hawaii s governor urged people to prepare themselves to witness destruction like they ve never seen. vicksay and his family were here on holiday from california. caught by the flames, they almost lost their lives. we left our vehicle and my my, my saw my wife and our five kids, we all got in the ocean. we found a floating board that we hung on to. we re out there floating. it s so surreal and everything is burning around and explosions, cars blowing up. even the world s wealthiest have been touched by this tragedy. oprah winfrey, who has a home on the island, has come to help. the billionairejeff bezos has pledged $100 million to help
there are still thousands of people there are still thousands of people seeking shelter in the emergency shelters, some are still living in their cars, hotels still living in their cars, hotels are mostly full, some people hotels are mostly full, some people are sleeping outside but there people are sleeping outside but there are lots of people and very there are lots of people and very few there are lots of people and very few have been able to go back very few have been able to go back to very few have been able to go back to lahaina, and they have no idea back to lahaina, and they have no idea when that is possible, and even no idea when that is possible, and even though some residents are being and even though some residents are being allowed back, many people are being allowed back, many people lost everything they own, people lost everything they own, including identification documents which prove their residence which is required to -et residence which is