Officials in Maui County, the second-largest island in the US state of Hawaii, have reported that the death toll from wildfires in the historic town of Lahaina has risen to 36.
The Lahaina fire is one of several blazes that have devastated entire towns in Hawaii, initially fueled by winds from Hurricane "Dora," which caused the fire to spread to the island of Maui, leaving behind burnt cars and heaps of smoke-rising debris.
Authorities stated that 271 buildings have been damaged or destroyed, and dozens have been injured. Coastguards reported rescuing 14 individuals who jumped into the water to escape the flames and smoke, including two children.
Among the injured, three people sustained serious burns and were airlifted to the burn unit at Straub Medical Center on Oahu Island.
Additionally, 20 others were transported to Maui Memorial Medical Center.
Over 2,100 people spent Tuesday night in evacuation centers, and around 2,000 travelers sought refuge at Kahului Airport after numerous flights were canceled.
Officials have begun preparing the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu to accommodate thousands of displaced tourists and local residents.
US President Joe Biden announced that all available federal assets have been deployed to assist in responding to the fires.
He mentioned that the Hawaii National Guard has mobilized "Chinook" helicopters to help extinguish the fires and aid in search and rescue efforts on Maui.
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