After becoming the deadliest wildfire in the U.S. in over a century, the wildfire disaster in Hawaii has reached a new death toll, according to an update shared by Hawaii Gov. Josh Green on Monday evening.
AP Photo/Rick Bowmer
"The updated number is 99 confirmed people have passed," he said, as he predicted that "the numbers will go up significantly in the coming days."on Monday afternoon, advising that 300 FEMA employees and 140 search and rescue teams have been deployed"with more on the way." Green added that it has become a mission of"searching for those that we have lost."
"It's a tragedy beyond tragedy," he told Blitzer. "We, of course, never expected to see this anywhere in America, but we are burdened by the circumstance of climate change and tragedy at the same time. That's why this wildfire occurred for the most part. We're going to get to the bottom of it, though."
Green added that he has personally authorized a comprehensive review of the situation in order to "have every answer going forward" and predicted that it will take another 8 to 10 days for the state to determine a final death toll."I don't really want to guess at a number because our people are working so hard right now," the governor explained. "My heart personally goes out to those who have said they can't get into the site.
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