HONOLULU, HAWAII: More than 14,000 people have been evacuated from the fire-ravaged Maui till Wednesday evening, reports The Independent. San Francisco mayor London Breed was one among them.
As per CBS Bay Area, the mayor was there in Maui but was evacuated safely. A press release from her office read she “was never in danger.”
The death toll from the devastating wildfires has now climbed to 53, with the loss of life expected to rise further. Hawaii Governor Josh Green said on Thursday that around 1,000 people are still unaccounted for.
Why was London Breed in Hawaii?
San Francisco Mayor London Breed was on Maui Island in Hawaii for the holidays. Politico reported that Breed, who is now running for re-election in her city, was taking a break from her stewardship.
Breed was among the thousands of tourists who were evacuated from the wildfire-stricken popular tourist destination of the island state. Politico reported that the mayor was transported to Honolulu on Wednesday; however, her mode of transportation was not revealed.
A statement issued by her press office reads, "The Mayor was on Maui for a personal trip when the wildfires started." It continued, "The Governor of Hawaii issued an order encouraging all visitors to depart the island. She has left the island and is now on Oahu."
"The Mayor was never in danger. This wildfire is devastating to witness and our thoughts are with the people of Maui," added the statement.
Daily Mail reported that the 49-year-old mayor’s run for re-election may not be smooth as the city of San Francisco is now rife with issues like homelessness, crimes, and drug epidemic post the Covid-19 pandemic.
What did President Joe Biden say about the wildfire?
In a video posted on social media on Thursday, President Joe Biden spoke about the raging inferno that has engulfed the popular holiday destination, per Daily Mail. He said, “We have just approved a Major Disaster Declaration for Hawaii, which will get aid in the hands of the people desperately needing help now.”
He continued to speak about the brave firefighters, “I've directed that we surge support to these brave firefighters and first responders and emergency personnel working around the clock there risking their lives.”
“I just got off the phone before I got here for a long conversation with Governor Josh Green this morning, (I) let him know I'm going to make sure the state has everything it needs from the federal government to recover,” Biden said.
He continued, “FEMA is surging disaster assistance personnel on the island, and they're going t help survivors get access to federal assistance.”
“We're working as quickly as possible to fight these fires and evacuate residents and tourists. In the meantime, our prayers are with the people of Hawaii, but not just our prayers,” said the president.
“Every asset we have will be available to them. They've seen their homes, their businesses destroyed, and some have lost loved ones. And it's not over yet,” pledged Biden.
