According to information released by officials in Maui County, Hawaii, on August 29, the number of people who died in the fire was confirmed to be 115, and the whereabouts of many people are still unknown. Officially, it was announced that the search and rescue of the land part had been completed, and the remaining search and rescue efforts were concentrated on the coastline.
Find yesterday in the ashes of Maui's new routine
When the fire broke out, all eyes were on the island, the media and politicians flocked to it, and over time, Maui people were forced to live with a new routine. Have loved ones who disappeared in the fire been found? Have all the victims who lost their homes been given a place to stay? Will the collapse in tourist flows create a new disaster for the tourism-dependent island? CCTV reporter Liu Xiaoqian went deep into Maui Island and recorded the faces of the people after the disaster on the island with the lens in his hand.
CCTV reporter Liu Xiaoqian: More than two weeks have passed since the Lahaina fire, and a few days ago, local law enforcement removed the last roadblock leading to here, that is, western Maui, which means that post-disaster rescue has entered a new and longer stage.
The newly posted search notices can be seen at the gates of many gas stations in Lahaina, and missing in the fire are both young and elderly people, and their relatives provide as many clues as possible, including the usual cars and inseparable pets, but with little success.
Maui is small, but some of the victims spent their last moments with strangers.
Geri, a victim of the Lahaina disaster: Around 7:30 p.m. [on the day of the fire], I ran into the street and found that all the houses had burned, and there was a man of about 50 years old, who was burned from head to toe, and the skin on his body fell off except for his face. I guess he wanted to evacuate, but the fire hit him from two directions, burning his whole body.
Gehry and another young man insisted on getting him to safety, but eventually died in hospital. A few days later, his relatives and friends learned the news.
Gehry, a Lahaina victim: The ashes are not ordinary ashes, but like ashes from incineration, unlike earthquakes where the remains of the victims can be found. It is difficult for people to identify the dead by the ashes because there is almost nothing.
The life stories of the deceased came to an abrupt end in the fire, and the lives of the survivors never returned to yesterday.
CCTV reporter Liu Xiaoqian met Frank at an aid station ten minutes north of Lahaina, who had just celebrated his 75th birthday last month.
Lahaina Disaster Victim Frank: The fire was so fierce that everything was reduced to ashes, and the vehicle melted like wax.
CCTV reporter Liu Xiaoqian: Can you tell me what you lost in the fire?
Frank, Lahaina victim: I lost everything, like some important personal belongings, family photos, passports, important documents, cash, clothes, everything. My home is a one-bedroom house, a plantation style house built a long time ago, and I renovated it. I miss it terribly, just like other residents who have lost their homes.
I can't imagine how a septuagenarian could face this disaster alone, toiling all his life to find a place to stay, only to end up on the streets overnight.
Frank, a disaster victim in Lahaina: I had nowhere to go, so I sat on a bench in front of the supermarket, hiding from the police because they wouldn't let anyone stay there.
CCTV reporter Liu Xiaoqian: Did you live on the street like this for two days?
Frank, a disaster victim in Lahaina: Pretty much so, I couldn't sleep and I didn't eat because all the shops were closed and there was nothing.
A few days ago, Frank finally moved into a temporary residence, and he told me that although the inner engine is being restored little by little, he will not be able to see the aura of Lahaina again in his lifetime.
Frank, Lahaina Disaster Victim: I've lived in Maui for 45 years, and I've lived through hurricanes, tsunamis, and sudden coronavirus outbreaks. I cried, and I couldn't believe the loss was so heavy, it was so heartbreaking.
The fire burned all they were on the beach waiting for the promise
The Lahaina fire has left more than 10,000 people without their homes, officials say anyone who lost their home in the fire can apply for temporary accommodation, and hotels and short-term rental apartments on Maui are also open to the victims, but what is the actual situation, continue to watch CCTV reporter Liu Xiaoqian's visit.
I went to a beach park north of Lahaina, now a makeshift depot where victims can come to eat and pick up essential necessities. They range from indigenous people and white people who own real estate, to a large migrant population living in Lahaina, who are an important part of the local tourism service industry.
The fire hit everyone indiscriminately, but were the victims treated equally?
CCTV reporter Liu Xiaoqian: During my visit, I found that not all those who lost their homes in the Lahaina fire can get help with accommodation, and there are still many people living in cars or sleeping directly on the beach, still waiting for valuable places.
I met Stephen and his friends on the beach, dishwashers at a restaurant in Lahaina who usually spend the night in an open-air camp in town.
Stephen, a Lahaina victim: I don't even have a tent. My tent, everything was burned down, and many of my friends couldn't get in touch.
The sleeping bags, backpacks and clothing they now use all come from donations.
CCTV reporter Liu Xiaoqian: Do you two meet the conditions for receiving accommodation assistance?
Rahaina victims Stephen: Yes, we are waiting for notice.
CCTV reporter Liu Xiaoqian: When did your name enter the list?
Stephen, a victim of Lahaina: Two days ago, they said we could choose where to live. It sounds very good, but when they brought us to the hotel, the hotel had something else to say. They said the waiting list was long because the rooms were full and exceeded their carrying capacity and we couldn't wait in the hotel either, they said we had to leave temporarily. Where can we go?
I can't help but wonder how many people like Stephen are unable to receive the assistance they deserve because of their different status.
Stephen, a victim of the Lahaina disaster: They said I could have a place to live, which gave me hope. In the end, we ended up in this field.
CCTV reporter Liu Xiaoqian: If the hotel has a vacant room, will they call you to notify?
Rahaina Victims Stephen: They said that, but they never called.
CCTV reporter Liu Xiaoqian: How many days do you plan to sleep here?
Lahaina victims (Stephen's friend): Until they came to us.
Pillar industries collapsed and tourists are difficult to come and go
After the Lahaina fire, tourists canceled flights or flew to other Hawaiian islands, which hit Maui's economy hard. Locals are calling for tourists to return to Maui, but they are also worried that tourists and disaster victims are grabbing resources and are caught in a new dilemma.
Maui is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the United States, with an average of more than 7,000 visitors a day, according to official figures. After the fire, that number fell to less than 2,000.
CCTV reporter Liu Xiaoqian: The century-old town disappeared in an instant in the time of a fire, and its reconstruction will take several years, or even more than a decade, while at the same time, a larger and more difficult to detect secondary disaster is spreading on Maui.
Hawaii State Legislator Brian Shatz said on social media that tourists from other parts of Maui plummeted due to the Lahaina fires, and the local tourism industry began to see layoffs and unpaid leave.
Ellie, a disaster victim in Lahaina: I'm a tour guide, and you will find that most of the tour guide jobs are gone, so I lost this job too.
Local nonprofits worry that the tourism slump will deprive more residents of the financial ability to pay rent and daily expenses, forcing those who are not direct victims of the fires to join the ranks to receive benefits.
Naomi, a Lahaina disaster-stricken victim: Almost everyone is unemployed, my brother-in-law works in a florist and now only works a few hours a day because business is linked to tourism. Now we have nothing but to see one day at a time, and every day is different.
The absence of tourists has given the victims more resources for temporary accommodation, but as long as the scenery remains, they will eventually return. At that time, between the victims who have nothing and the tourists who spend a lot of money, what choice will capital make?
Source: CCTV News Client