2023-08-16 20:56:12
Criticized by the opposition for his reaction deemed timorous after the fires in Hawaii, Joe Biden announced on X (ex-Twitter) that he will go there accompanied by his wife Jill on Monday August 21.
“I remain committed to making sure the people of Hawaii have everything they need to recover from this disaster “Wrote the president on X. By going there, Joe Biden intends to assess in person “the consequences of the fires” and “discuss the next steps in the relief operations”, adds the press release.
Local authorities report, in their latest assessment, 106 dead and have warned that it could double. A week later, the search for bodies in the rubble is still underway in Lahaina, a historic town on the island of Maui, devastated by the flames.
The White House estimates that the search operations for victims will be at the beginning of next week “at a stage which allows a presidential visit”, an event mobilizing significant logistical means and involving a considerable security device.
Only five victims could be identified
On the spot, the rescuers and sniffer dogs who search the rubble of the city of Lahaina, almost razed by the flames, still have a lot of ground to cover. Seven days later, hundreds of people are still missing. Among them, some are gradually located by their relatives as communications are restored on Maui, but others will inevitably join the ranks of the victims of the tragedy.
Of 106 dead, only five could be identified at first. Relatives of missing persons are encouraged to give their DNA to facilitate the identification of corpses, which are often unrecognizable.
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