As rescue efforts continue in Hawaii after the island of Maui was ravaged by fires, the death toll continues to rise. Currently, there has been 96 reported deaths, but officials are saying that they're still in the early stages of their efforts to find and identify those who have died. Among those who died in the wildfires is a family of four who were recently identified by authorities. They were found in their car after trying to escape the fires.
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The bodies were identified as Faaso and Malui Fonua Tone, their adult daughter Salote Takafua, and her young son Tony Takafua.
"On behalf of our family, we bid aloha to our beloved parents, Faaso and Malui Fonua Tone, as well as our dear sister Salote Takafua and her son, Tony Takafua," the family said in a statement to the Daily Mail Online.
"The magnitude of our grief is indescribable, and their memories will forever remain etched in our hearts," the statement continued.
According to the Daily Mail, Hawaiian officials are saying that only about 3% of the town of Lahaina has been searched.
Talking to AP, a woman named Lylas Kanemoto shared that she was still waiting to hear news about her cousin.
"I’m afraid he is gone because we have not heard from him, and he would’ve found a way to contact family. We are hoping for the best but preparing for the worst," she said.
She also referenced the Tone family that was later identified on Thursday.
"At least we have closure for them, but the loss and heartbreak is unbearable for many," she said.
Families will be submitting DNA to help find their missing loved ones.
"Everybody has their story, and everybody lost something. So everybody can be there for each other, and they understand what’s going on in each other’s lives," J.P. Mayoga, a cook at the Westin Maui in Kaanapali, told AP.
Mayoga's home was spared from the fire, but he and his family are all staying at the hotel where he works to stay safe from the toxic debris that is covering Lahaina. Other residents in Lahaina and Kula have been told not to drink tap water and to only take lukewarm showers in a well-ventilated area to avoid exposure to chemical vapor.
Hawaii's governor, Josh Green, is working to make sure that those who have lost their homes have somewhere to go.
Currently, 500 hotel rooms are being made available for those who have been displaced by the fire. An additional 500 rooms will be made available for those working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
"Airbnb is going to offer us hundreds of typically short-term rentals in a longer-term capacity, so we can put people into a place for months," Green shared.
Mayor Mitch Roth is urging that people donate to established nonprofits in Hawaii and hold off on donating physical items, as they have nowhere to store them.
