Maui live updates: Emergency chief quits over failed wildfire sirens as only 10 of 111 victims identified

With the death toll from the Hawaii wildfires reaching at least 111, a woman decided to showcase her vacation on the island in a now private video on TikTok.

In the video, user Yvette Mares shared footage from her Hawaiian vacation while a happy song called “Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride” played in the background, according to the Daily point.

The title markedly contrasted with the somber tone currently associated with the state of Hawaii, as Gov. Josh Green recently announced the death toll could continue to rise by 10 to 20 people a day, while officials continue to search for survivors and casualties seek.

Since the video was published, Mares has received backlash online for her lack of attention and poor timing of the TikTok post. Although their account is now private, that hasn’t stopped others from making sure the video doesn’t go unnoticed.

According to Philippine media, a Filipino national is believed to be one of the 111 victims of the devastating Hawaii wildfires.

According to ABS-CBN news, the Philippine Ministry of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Friday that one of the victims of the wildfires was a person from the Southeast Asian country.

The person’s name was not released and so far authorities have only been able to identify a handful of victims.

The DFA said the Filipino is a naturalized U.S. citizen hailing from Ilocos

Former Maui County Mayor Alan Arakawa has defended emergency chief Herman Andaya after he resigned from office over criticism of wildfire response.

Mr. Andaya, who tendered his resignation Thursday citing health conditions, was previously the deputy director of Maui County’s Department of Housing and Human Affairs and was former Mr. Arakawa’s chief of staff for 11 years.

The former mayor said he was disappointed with the resignation “because we now lack a really qualified person.”

He said Mr. Andaya was screened for the post by the county’s human resources service.

“He was trying to be strong and do his job,” Mr Arakawa said of the wildfire response.

“He was very, very heartbroken about all the things that happened.”

Volunteers on Maui have cobbled together countless impromptu, urgent solutions like insulin shipments in response to the country’s deadliest wildfire in over a century, which has killed more than 100 people and displaced thousands.

As nonprofit groups struggle to provide aid to the second-farthest state from the US mainland, learn how mutual charities and local businesses are helping to fill the gaps.

As loved ones yearn for information on those missing on Maui after the deadliest wildfire in the United States in more than a century, authorities are struggling to identify the remains of more than 100 victims.

The advent of DNA technology and the advances that have followed have created powerful tools. But it still takes time to find remains, uncover genetic material or other clues, and gather the information needed for a match–if there is any certainty at all.

Here’s a look at how the work of identification goes:

Maui’s chief emergency services officer has suddenly resigned amid increasing scrutiny of local authorities over their response to the devastating wildfires that have so far killed at least 111 people on the Hawaiian island.

Herman Andaya, the chief of the Maui Emergency Management Agency, sent his letter of resignation to Mayor Richard Bissen on Thursday, which was immediately accepted, Maui County confirmed in a statement.

Here’s what he said about his decisions in response to the wildfires and everything that led to his resignation:

The arduous search for human remains in a burned-out ash and debris area in Lahaina has covered at least 45 percent of the homes, Gov. Josh Green said Thursday.

Authorities say the search for the missing has expanded beyond Lahaina to other devastated communities.

However, it will probably continue like this for at least a week.

The FBI’s Honolulu Division said it is helping the Maui police locate and identify missing persons. Immediate family members who are on Maui can drop off DNA samples at the Hyatt Recency in Kaanapali starting Friday, and those who are elsewhere can contact the FBI for instructions.

The Hawaii Department of Energy has responded to criticism for leaving power lines on despite strong winds.

A video showed a cable dangling in a charred patch of grass surrounded by flames in the early moments, prompting speculation that a broken wire could be a possible cause of the barrel fire.

“The facts of this event will continue to evolve,” Hawaiian Electric CEO Shelee Kimura wrote in an email to utility customers Thursday, according to the AP.

“And while we won’t have the answers for some time, we are committed to working with many others to find out what happened while we remain urgently focused on Maui’s recovery and rebuilding efforts.”