106 Dead in Hawaii Wildfires... "May Increase 2 to 3 Times"

Severe Dismemberment of Corpse by Intense Fire... Identification Difficult

A wildfire on Maui Island in Hawaii, USA, has resulted in 106 confirmed deaths. However, as search efforts are ongoing, the death toll is expected to rise further.

According to AFP and other foreign media on the 15th (local time), officials from Maui County, which includes Maui Island, announced the death toll from the wildfire. They explained that this figure comes from searches conducted using search dogs in over a quarter of the disaster area.

On the 15th (local time), a large wildfire swept through Lahaina on Maui Island, Hawaii, USA, leaving a car charred and abandoned. Photo by Reuters and Yonhap News Agency

Josh Green, Governor of Hawaii, told local residents, "The final toll from the Maui Island wildfire, already recorded as the deadliest wildfire in the US in over 100 years, is expected to increase significantly," adding, "The number of deaths could be two to three times the current count."

Among the recovered bodies so far, only a very small number have been identified. This is because many bodies were severely damaged beyond recognition due to exposure to intense heat that melted metal. Maui County officials stated, "Only five of the deceased have been identified so far," and disclosed the names of two of them.

With the rapid increase in fatalities, local morgues are struggling to handle the deceased. According to AFP, Maui County authorities have deployed refrigerated containers as temporary storage for bodies.

Meanwhile, the large-scale wildfire that broke out on the 8th on Maui Island has not yet been fully extinguished as of this day.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.