MAUI, HAWAII: At least six people were killed by wildfires driven by winds from a distant hurricane on Maui island of Hawaii on Wednesday, August 9. Thousands were forced to flee, and some individuals dove into the ocean to escape the smoke and flames, as reported by Reuters.
Additionally, it is believed that 4,000 tourists are stranded on the island and desperate to evacuate before the fires grow further. Since the start of the wildfires on Tuesday, hundreds of homes and other buildings have been destroyed, along with several blackouts and evacuations.
Lahaina of Hawaii is all but destroyed
Lahaina is almost completely devastated. Videos captured the agony of locals as they jumped into the water to escape the flames. The flames are still burning, and thousands of Hawaiians still lack power.
On Wednesday afternoon, island officials urged visitors to leave Lahaina and Maui "as soon as possible," stating that a major bus evacuation was underway and that there were open seats on flights.
According to official records from flyovers made by the Maui Fire Department and the US Civil Air Patrol, about 271 structures were damaged or destroyed.
Governor Josh Green exclaimed, "We have suffered a terrible disaster in the form of a wildfire that has spread widely as a result of hurricane-force winds in the region and underlying drought conditions. Maui and the Big Island both experienced significant fires."
"Much of Lahaina on Maui has been destroyed and hundreds of local families have been displaced," Green added.
The island’s mayor Richard Bissen Jr stated to CNN that more than 2,000 people were living in shelters because of the fires that had started and were still burning on the island.
A devastating aerial video depicts the magnitude of the damage in Lahaina, where thousands of islanders fled in the middle of the night to avoid being trapped. The 'apocalyptic' fires continue to burn, so many burn patients were airlifted from Maui to Honolulu for treatment.
Sunseekers share tragic Hawaii's beauty before 'apocalyptic' flames
People who witnessed the incident firsthand have now shared terrifying videos of it. Colton Moore, a TikTok user, posted a video detailing how his wonderful vacation with his wife turned out horrific.
He captioned the clip, which has received more than 200,000 views, "Went from paradise to a natural crisis, hope everyone stays safe." The pair is shown at the start of the video relaxing by the tranquil water; Moore's camera even descends to show the corals and fish they saw.
The video continues to show the delicious meals the couple enjoyed before cutting to a film shot in the first spot seen. However, the scene is no longer peaceful as massive flames engulf the region and the sky fills with black smoke.
Pettypurvis, another TikTok user, released a video showing people boating joyfully before cutting to the same body of water on fire. In numerous places, the fires have destroyed buildings, forced evacuations, and resulted in power disruptions.
Maui is the location of the most destructive wildfire. The town of Lahaina was decimated and another is currently destroying portions of northern Wailea where resort hotels like the Four Seasons and Hilton dot the coastline.
Frenetic villagers in the 12,000-person town of Lahaina dove into the water at the port to escape the flames. Boats were used to save 12 persons from the waves.
The largest airport on the island of Hawaii, Kahului Airport, is still open and operating, but it is currently housing 1,800 people who are fleeing their homes.
Black smoke is seen rising into the sky as fires can be seen blazing across a residential area in Maui that is encircled by grassland. According to County of Maui spokesperson Mahina Martin in a phone conversation late Tuesday, it was unclear how many buildings had burnt.
Due to collapsed cell towers, much of Maui is without 911 coverage, which complicates evacuation attempts while doctors and nurses try to treat the influx of burn victims.
Firefighters on the island of Maui were battling numerous fires centered in two locations: the well-liked tourist resort of West Maui and an inland, hilly area.
The sky appears to be bruised in the video taken from a yacht in Maui's Lahaina Mooring Field as massive smoke plumes emerge from the fires.
