On Thursday local time, the town of 9,100 lay in ruins, destroyed by the largest natural disaster to hit Hawaii since Hurricane Iniki in 1992. At least 53 people have been confirmed dead by Thursday afternoon, and with fires still raging, officials said the death toll could rise as the search for survivors continues.
With mobile phone signals on the island of Maui still down, family members of residents have been taking to social media pleading for help in locating their loved ones, while volunteers have been posting lists of those who are found and those who still need to be located.
Kanani Adolpho, a Maui resident who is volunteering at the War Memorial Complex shelter in Waikulu, one of many across the island, has spent the last 24 hours posting live updates on Instagram with the names of people who have turned up at the shelter. At one point it was four pages long and contained locals and visitors.
"My heart is sore, but I don't want to break down in there because these people need my strength right now," she said in one of the live videos on Instagram.
Other organisations, including the Maui Lani Mormon church also posted lists, and a longer Google document started circulating on Facebook with over 2,800 names, some of which had been labelled as located, many who have not.
This story is from the August 12, 2023 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the August 12, 2023 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
The Filter Cast-iron alternatives to Le Creuset for less
Le Creuset's colourful pans have long topped the wishlists of amateur and professional cooks.
Money hacks How to find a pet-sitter you can trust
Unless you have family, a friend or a neighbour who can care for your pet when you're away, you'll need to find a pet-sitter you can trust.
Pensions An A to Z of how to save for your retirement
Everything you need to know to plan for your future and make the most of your finances. Rupert Jones and Hilary Osborne report
'A fork in the road' AI's bid to help on laundry days at Europe's tech summit
This year's Web Summit in Lisbon was all about artificial intelligence and a robot sorting laundry.
Brexit So how could Labour improve EU ties for the sake of growth?
The Bank of England governor, Andrew Bailey, said this week that Brexit had undermined the UK's economy, and urged the government to improve relations with the EU for the sake of growth.
Aviation Flying taxis: destined never to take off?
In a dreary November day in the Cotswolds, the VX4 - a cross between a plane and a helicopter - rose from an airport runway, hovered a few feet off the ground and set back down.
Property firm back in profit as workers return to offices
One of Britain's biggest property developers has provided further evidence of the return to office working, saying occupancy in its central London offices is at an all-time high and the value of its portfolio has returned to growth.
Analysis Summer of dark warnings from the Treasury may have cast a shadow on growth
It was hardly surprising that the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, declared herself \"not satisfied\" with the news that the UK's GDP expanded by a measly 0.1% in the three months to September.
Contracting GDP adds to German woes as general election looms
Germany's looming general election will be fought against the backdrop of a stagnating economy, the European Commission has forecast, with GDP expected to have contracted in 2024.
UK economy slows amid jitters over Labour budget
The UK economy slowed to a near-standstill in the third quarter as uncertainty around Labour's first budget and high interest rates weighed on business and consumer spending.
