Courtesy: Big Island Now
THE Foreign Affairs have confirmed that there were no reported deaths amid the wildfires that hit Lahaina on the island of Maui, Hawaii.
In a radio interview, DFA Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega said that at least 80 people have died, while a thousand more remain missing due to the wildfires, but none of them were confirmed as Filipino citizens.
“Wala pang balita. Eighty ang mga namatay, wala pa tayong confirmation na Filipino. Pagdasal natin,” he said.
The DFA official said there were 25,000 Filipino-Americans in Maui, which comprised 17% of the island’s population. In total, 200,000 Filipino-Americans were staying and/or working in the state of Hawaii.
The Maui Filipino Chamber of Commerce said hundreds of Pinoys were among the more than 1,000 missing in the wildfire which erupted on Tuesday.
De Vega said that it was possible, but authorities were still gathering data as the internet and communication lines to the island were still down.
“Maari po, pero hindi natin masabi kung talagang Filipino citizens pa kasi sabi ni Consul General Emilio Fernandez, karamihan ng mga Pilipino sa Maui ay American citizens,” he explained.
“‘Yung mga Filipino naman, wala naman mismo sa forest. Hindi naman sila mismo sa kung saan ang sunog, pero malapit. May mga neighborhood, nasunog ang bahay. ‘Yung mga Pilipino nagta-trabaho do’n tourists resort o hotel…kung missing, ibig sabihin nawalan ng contact o pina-evacuate,” he added.
In Jonathan Andal’s report on 24 Oras Weekend on Sunday, Fernandez also said that Filipino teachers recently recruited to Hawaii were safe. “Mayroon rin mga bagong dating na teachers recruited in Hawaii…mga otsenta sila. Out of 80…50 were assigned in the island of Maui. Thankfully they, are accounted for safe in temporary shelters,” he said.
De Vega also said that there were no reports of Filipinos being evacuated to Hawaii’s capital, Honolulu.
“Walang Pilipinong inilipat to Honolulu… nandoon pa rin sila lahat sa Maui. Ang latest, within 24 to 48 hours, magiging malinaw na ang situation,” he said.
