Joe Biden declares state of disaster in Hawaii and unlocks federal aid after devastating wildfires
US President Joe Biden on Thursday declared a state of natural disaster in Hawaii, where wildfires have destroyed a town on the island of Maui and killed at least 36 people, unlocking significant federal aid for the US archipelago, reports AFP and Agerpres.
"The President's action makes federal funds available for those affected in Maui County," the White House said in a statement.
The release of funds will allow for emergency relief and rebuilding efforts on the island, where the resort town of Lahaina, the capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii in the 19th century, was nearly destroyed.
Fuelled by high winds, the fires are affecting mainly the island of Maui and to a lesser extent the island of Hawaii.
The resort town of Lahaina, on Maui's west coast, has been virtually reduced to ash.
This historic town has been destroyed, Hawaii's deputy governor, Sylvia Luke, told journalists. "It's so shocking, so upsetting," she said.
Thirty-six bodies were discovered under the rubble, according to an official tally. More than 270 buildings were damaged or destroyed in the city of Lahaina, authorities announced Wednesday.
