Maui Mayor Richard Bissen said Monday 850 people are still missing as search and rescue efforts continue after devastating wildfires tore through the island earlier this month.
Bissen said there are 850 names on the list of missing persons, a decrease from the more than 2,000 names that were initially reported missing. In a video update Monday morning, Bissen said about 1,285 people have been safely located.
“It is my sad duty to report that 114 individuals have been confirmed deceased,” Bissen said in a video update Monday morning. “Twenty-seven individuals have been identified and 11 families have been notified.”
Bissen said the Federal Bureau of Investigations of Honolulu and the Mali County Coroner’s Office are working to identify the deceased.
“As we continue the recovery process, the number identified will rise and the number of missing may decrease,” Bissen said. “But there will daily fluctuations in the numbers as family members are added and removed from the list.”
The mayor urged family members of those unaccounted for to provide a DNA sample to help with the identification process.
The wildfire is already now the deadliest in modern United States history, and the death toll is expected to grow.
The wildfires devastated parts of the island earlier this month, with the historic Lahaina town taking the brunt of the flames. Maui County officials said Sunday an estimated 2,170 acres of land in Lahaina was burnt, with thousands of structures either damaged or destroyed. The fire in Lahaina is 90 percent contained and there is no public threat, according to officials. The fires in Olinda and Kula are both 85 percent contained.
The Red Cross is providing shelter in multiple locations across the island because many survivors are still unable to return to their damaged or destroyed homes.
President Biden and first lady Jill Biden will travel to Maui on Monday to meet with first responders and tour the damage on the island. He is also expected to announce the appointment of a federal coordinator to oversee long-term recovery efforts on the island.
The U.S. Coast Guard, Navy’s 3rd Fleet and nearly 700 Pentagon personnel are assisting Hawaii in the recovery efforts. Biden signed a major disaster declaration to provide additional assistance.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said last week it has provided more than $5.6 million so far in assistance for nearly 2,000 households in Maui.
The White House and FEMA approved a one-time payment of $700 per household for needs like clothing, food or transportation. FEMA also said it is paying for survivors in hotels, and motels, and has paid out $1.6 million in rental assistance as of Friday.