Updates from Hawaii remained conflicting as optimism from the governor that the total number of missing had “dropped down into the double digits” was quickly dispelled.
In the weeks since wildfires devastated the island of Maui bringing the number of fatalities to at least 115, the steps taken following the disaster have often been as concerning as those that preceded the devastation. Now, as many believed around 1,000 had been unaccounted for, Gov. Josh Green’s (D) latest update on the “credibly” missing did little to bolster public confidence.
On Thursday, Green posted a video update on the emergency management based on official figures that had 388 people to be considered missing. The governor expressed his hope that search and rescue teams, as well as endeavors to confirm the identities of survivors already accounted for, would bring the still tragic number of missing below 1oo.
“We think that number has dropped down into the double digits, so thank God,” said Green.
8/31 Maui Fire Update pic.twitter.com/8SDJE0knlf
— Governor Josh Green (@GovJoshGreenMD) August 31, 2023
However, by Friday, the Maui Police Department along with the FBI had confirmed that while 245 people from the 388 were accounted for, which still would have left the governor’s optimism off, nearly as many people were added to the list of missing bringing the sum total back up to 385.
The startling discrepancy seemingly supported speculation that the government was not being upfront about the tragedy, but a statement from Green provided through a spokesperson to the Associated Press attempted to tamp down those notions.
“Exact numbers are going to take time, perhaps a long time, to become finalized,” the statement expressed and noted that there were less than 50 “active missing person cases.”
The additional names provided that made the number of missing rise again were reported to have come from the Red Cross and shelters, along with individuals who had notified federal agencies, Maui Police Chief John Pelletier explained.
Posting to Instagram, he encouraged family members to provide their genetic information to the authorities if any of their family were among those still missing. “If you have a loved one that you know is missing and you are a family member, it’s imperative that you get a DNA sample.”
Meanwhile, Green’s latest update also spoke to the efforts of high-profile individuals to garner funds that could be used toward recovery efforts. However, celebrities like Oprah Winfrey and Dwayne Johnson faced criticism for attempting to fundraise rather than simply pouring their own money into helping families.
No-Oprah! Uber wealthy stars unleash torrent of backlash soliciting Maui donations from struggling Americans https://t.co/rPbGL31qNw via @BIZPACReview
— BPR based (@DumpstrFireNews) September 1, 2023
As previously reported, their People’s Fund of Maui did include $10 million in starter money from their own coffers, but one critic had slammed, “Please don’t just tell me I saw a billionaire standing next to a multimillionaire begging the average, everyday citizen for donations that can barely get by due to a real-life recession, living paycheck to paycheck, barely can pay rent, barely can put food on the table for our families, living in a real-life recession, in a country where our president is giving away our resources to another country for money.”
Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn't researching current events and their impacts, you'll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.
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