National

First victims named as death toll reaches 106

Aug 17, 2023

Hawaii [US], August 17: Three others were identified but their names are being withheld until their families are notified.
The catastrophic fire, which destroyed the historic town of Lahaina(laheina) within hours, has been followed by a slow and gruelling search for victims.
Twenty sniffer dogs trained to detect bodies have led teams on a block-by-block search of the wreckage, a 5sq mile (13sq km) area now filled with twisted metal and other debris.
As of Tuesday evening, 27% of the disaster site had been searched, Governor Josh Green said in a televised address. He said the number of dead could climb significantly and even double over the next 10 days.
Officials must then complete the difficult work of identifying the dead, a process complicated by the severity of the victims' burns and one that requires DNA samples and forensic experts.
Source: Fijian Broadcasting Corporation