Hawaii [US], October 14: The number of people missing in the August wildfires on the U.S. Hawaiian island of Maui has been downsized to seven, authorities said on Friday.
It's the eighth list of the names of individuals who have been reported unaccounted for or missing following the Lahaina wildfire disaster on Aug. 8 this year, according to the Maui Police Department (MPD).
The new tally represents a significant drop from 66 in September. Officials said last month that more than 3,000 individuals had been found safe, who were previously reported unaccounted for, with their names provided to the public.
"As stated previously, the MPD will only report on individuals who have had an MPD missing person report filed," said the department in its latest update. Officials urged people to contact the police "if you believe an individual is still unaccounted for and their name is not included on the credible list of names."
The death toll from the Maui wildfires still stands at 98 people. Authorities had previously announced that at least 115 lives were claimed by the blaze.
The wildfires started on Aug. 8 and blazed through the oceanside historic town of Lahaina on Maui. Despite the reduced death toll figure, it remains one of the worst natural disasters in Hawaii's history and the deadliest U.S. wildfires in over a century.
Source: Xinhua