Locals told Insider that it is difficult to access essential aid and that distressed residents are taking matters into their own hands.
Destroyed buildings burned down in Lahaina in the aftermath of a wildfire in Maui, Hawaii, US. Photo: AFP
“There is some police presence. There is a small military presence, but at night people still face robbers,” said Matt Robb, co-owner of a bar in Lahaina called The Dirty Monkey.
“Where is the support? I don’t think our government and leaders know how to handle this or what to do right now,” the resident added.
The Honolulu Star Register reported a near-riot broke out between police and about 100 residents after police blocked the highway entrance to Lahaina, one of the hardest-hit areas on the island, preventing people from returning home to collect items from the fire.
The Dirty Monkey staff said they have been working with local authorities and community members to organize and try to maintain the supply and delivery of essential medications like insulin to families in need.
But as a small team with no formal training in emergency response, Robb and co-owner Alen Aivazian said they felt abandoned by local leaders, who they said failed to effectively communicate with community members about what was going on.
“It’s weird when you have a truck full of water or other products, you’re trying to help people and you’re being turned away. I think it’s a lack of leadership and a lack of knowledge about how to deal with this,” Robb said.
Kami Irwin, a Maui resident helping coordinate relief efforts at the Maui Brewing Company location in Kihei, said locals are working around the clock, going without sleep and organizing neighborhood patrols to help keep each other safe and find necessities like clean drinking water and medicine.
While Irwin said she was moved by how Maui residents were stepping up to care for each other, she said she couldn't put into words the extent of the devastation caused by the fires, which she said were made worse by a “lack of leadership” by local government officials.
"There are so many people missing and unaccounted for. It's a real nightmare that you can't wake up from. It's beyond imagination," Irwin said.
Mai Anh (according to AFP)
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