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Apocalyptic images and video of Hawaii's Lahaina town destroyed by fire, go viral
US President Joe Biden declared the wildfires in Hawaii as a "major disaster". It means the federal government will provide funding.
It cannot get more apocalyptic than this. Horrible images and videos have emerged from Lahaina town of Maui County in Hawaii, which has been destroyed by wildfires that engulfed the place on Wednesday. Reportedly, there has been tremendous damage to life and property, with 36 humans dead. Notably, the town is a popular tourist destination in the United States.
US President Joe Biden declared the wildfires in Hawaii as a "major disaster". It means the federal government will provide funding to assist with rescue and recovery. Biden also spoke with the Hawaii governor Josh Green. According to a report by BBC, at least 270 buildings have been destroyed. Thousands of tourists and residents have been forced to take shelter in makeshift stays.
“Anyone who’s lost a loved one, whose home has been damaged or destroyed, will get help immediately,” said Biden.
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Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen said authorities didn't "anticipate having this many fires simultaneously".
Earlier, former US President Barack Obama had taken to "X" (formerly Twitter) and shared an emotional post.
“It’s tough to see some of the images coming out of Hawai’i — a place that’s so special to so many of us. Michelle and I are thinking of everyone who has lost a loved one, or whose life has been turned upside down,” the tweet from Obama read.
Human activity is being reported to be the likely cause of the fire which spread rapidly in the windy and dry conditions in the region. Reportedly, Hurricane Dora's powerful winds aggravated the situation, causing widespread damage.
Meanwhile, conspiracy theories are also being circulated on social media. Some netizens are claiming it to be an attack.
As per reports, Maui itself was under a red flag alert before the fire broke out.
