Reporters asked about the Hawaiian fire, and Biden responded indifferently with "no comment", infuriating the Americans

"The deadliest wildfire in the United States in more than a century has killed nearly 100 people in Hawaii, fueling anger over the heavy toll of government inaction." The headline of the Agence France-Presse news agency, which rarely criticizes US internal affairs, reads this on the 15th. On the 14th local time, Hawaii Governor Green said that the number of Maui wildfire victims has risen to 99, and the number of deaths will continue to increase rapidly in the future. At the same time, although the number of missing people has decreased from more than 2,000 to about 1,300, this is a statistic after the basic restoration of communication services, which means that the final number of victims will be shocking. However, the United States Government seemed indifferent to the disaster, and various relief measures were delayed. US President Joe Biden, who still rides his bike leisurely on vacation, even responded indifferently to reporters' questions about the Hawaii fires "no comment." This immediately triggered strong criticism from all walks of life, and was criticized as "this is a shame".

"The Abyss"

"When Reid found the fire, it was only a few meters away from her home." The Maui fire, Hawaii, killed at least 99 people and, like many locals fleeing the blaze, Reid received no warning or evacuation orders, AFP said. The 63-year-old cried in the evacuation center: "The mountain behind us is on fire and no one has told us. "Reid's house has burned down, and she says she lives on the kindness of strangers." Now this is my home. The old man said, pointing to the car she slept with her daughter, grandson and two cats. AFP named a subtitle of the report "The Abyss".

Reid was lucky in this disaster. Hawaii Governor Green said on the 14th that the number of Maui wildfire victims has risen to 99. "It's really hard to guess," Green said, adding that the number of missing people has dwindled from more than 2,000 to about 1,300 as communications services have gradually restored. "Maybe it means more deaths... We are ready for more tragic stories. ”

The fire caused great suffering to the local population, and people were even more angry about the authorities' poor warning and response. Hawaii boasts the world's largest fire alarm system, with about 400 sirens installed throughout the archipelago. But when a fire breaks out, why do all alarm systems remain silent?

In addition to the early warning facilities, there were also problems with the rescue facilities. The New York Times said some firefighters rushed to put out the fire, only to find that "the hydrant had no water at all."

"There are no government agencies to help us," Lumlon, a native Hawaiian, said in an interview with The Washington Post. In response, officials excused themselves from saying that the remoteness of the affected areas and the wide range of damage posed huge logistical challenges to relief efforts. Maui Police Chief Pertier said on the 14th that the current rescue team only covers 3% of the disaster area.

"Desperate people are robbed or raped," Fox News said, adding that there were still police and military personnel stationed in the disaster area during the day, and at night, people were robbed or raped at gunpoint. Matt, a local bar owner, said, "Where is the support from the government? I don't think the government is unaware of these issues. ”

"Shame"

The Maui fire broke out on the 8th, and US President Biden seemed indifferent to it. A day later, Biden was still playing up the "China collapse theory" at a fundraising event in Salt Lake City, Utah, on the 9th, and still did not mention the fire. On the 13th, the death toll in the fire has climbed to 96. Meanwhile, Biden, who was riding a bicycle on a beach in Delaware, responded with "no comment" when asked about the rising death toll from the Maui fire.

"Biden's indifference to the Maui disaster has been bitterly criticized," the New York Post said, "and his callous 'no comment' has aroused public anger."

The American Matzav website said that Biden's indifferent response was immediately criticized. Some noted that it was similar to his reaction in the first half of the year to the leak of dangerous goods following a train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. Monica, former assistant secretary of the U.S. Treasury Department, said: "Biden doesn't care about the suffering people on Maui, he doesn't care about the suffering people in East Palestine, Ohio, he doesn't care about the suffering people across the United States, he doesn't care about the suffering people across the United States." Republican Lake also fiercely criticized Biden: "The most beautiful tourist destination on the planet has been burned to ashes, and Biden doesn't care." "The president rides his bike on the beach while Hawaiian disaster victims dig through the ashes of shattered neighborhoods... While Rome was burned, Nero (Roman emperor) was playing the violin. ”

"Shameful, terrible, unacceptable," former US President Trump posted a video on social platforms on the evening of the 14th to criticize Biden, "It's usually okay not to comment, but you smile when you say it, especially when such a tragedy occurs, it is absolutely terrible and unacceptable." "Biden's refusal to help or comment on the tragedy in Maui is just as shameful as his refusal to help or comment on the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, for a long time." ”

On the 14th, White House press secretary Jean-Pierre tried to remedy Biden's mistakes at a press conference, saying that Biden was "deeply concerned" about the Hawaiian fire. But she mispronounced the names of two Democratic senators from Hawaii and the gender of one of them. "She doesn't even know who her party's Hawaiian senator is," one netizen questioned, "Did the White House really care about the Hawaiian fire?" ”

"Crash"

From the 2005 Hurricane Katrina disaster, to the derailment of a poisoned train earlier this year, to the current Hawaii fire, the United States and the world have surprised the United States and the world with its contempt and indifference to the safety of people's lives and property, the slowness and chaos of rescue operations, and the backwardness and lack of infrastructure in response to disasters.

Hawaii, where the disaster occurred, is the logistics and command center of the U.S. military in the Pacific, but the U.S. military's rescue operation has been surprisingly slow. Local people question that Hawaii has a large military base, which is home to not only about 60,000 U.S. troops, but also a large number of National Guard, police and fire departments. Kelly Schell, a local restaurant owner, criticized: "We live on Maui, which is 100 miles from the military, but 72 hours after the fire, the US Navy hospital ships, helicopters and other rescue equipment arrived in the disaster area." ”

"For Biden, Ukraine is more important than Hawaii," the Russia Today website said, former Texas Congressman Ron said on the 14th: "Looking at the picture of Maui being destroyed, I heard that President Biden is telling Congress that he needs to provide another $24 billion in aid to Ukraine, which is really unacceptable." How can the administration continue to make excuses for providing tens of billions of dollars for this lost war that is not in our interests, while at the same time it is collapsing across America? ”

Special correspondents of the Global Times in the United States Xiao Da, Tao Xiaofang, Liu Yupeng and Chen Kang