Locals In Maui Are Saying Death Toll Is Around 480, Believe Authorities Are Underplaying Number Of Deaths

The federal government and local authorities in Maui have stated the total number of deaths from the deadly fires that razed through the island is 111, locals of Maui however believe that number is much higher.

An investigative report by the Daily Mail has revealed the death toll in Maui is much closer to 480.

One local resident of Maui who has been helping with relief efforts told the Daily Mail “’I know there are at least 480 dead here in Maui and I don’t understand why they’re [the authorities] not saying that. Maybe it’s to do with DNA or something.”

Morgues on the island have also confirmed they have ran out of body bags which is more proof the 111 death toll by authorities is extremely underestimated.

JUST IN: Locals estimate that the death toll from the Maui fires is at least 480, more than four times the total the media & authorities are reporting.

Why are they trying to hide this?

Locals are being forced to conduct their own recovery efforts and were horrified to find… pic.twitter.com/yAFA8t296U

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) August 18, 2023

Here’s what The Daily Mail reported:

Maui authorities are dramatically underplaying the number of people known to have died in the inferno that ripped through Lahaina last week – with locals telling DailyMail.com that the actual death toll is at least 480 and that morgues had run out of body bags.

The figure is quadruple that of the official number of 111 – and some of the relatives of the victims have been left to uncover the remains of their loved ones themselves due to the glacial progress of the search and recovery operation.

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For Allisen Medina, 24, who has lived in Maui for five years and has spent the past two weeks making perilous trips into Lahaina to help burned out residents, that is still too slow.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with DailyMail.com, she said: ‘People have been doing their own recovery.

‘I know there are at least 480 dead here in Maui and I don’t understand why they’re [the authorities] not saying that. Maybe it’s to do with DNA or something.

EXCLUSIVE: Maui wildfires death toll climbs to 480 locals claim, as Hawaii morgue workers run out of body bags and survivors are left to recover the charred remains of their loved ones https://t.co/CjtjcFG2nO

— NEWS MAKER (@NEWS_MAKER) August 18, 2023

Maui locals claim death toll is 480 as morgues run out of body bags https://t.co/laciFWCpOu via @MailOnline

— Bo Snerdley (@BoSnerdley) August 18, 2023

NBC News is reporting 1,000 people are currently unaccounted for:

The windswept wildfires that scorched Maui last week were the deadliest in modern U.S. history. Authorities now fear that the death toll will only rise in the days and weeks to come, intensifying the pain of islanders already scarred by catastrophe.

At least 111 people have been confirmed dead, and officials say an estimated 1,000 more could still be unaccounted for, further complicating the arduous process of locating deceased victims and confirming their identities.

The number of victims from the devastating Maui wildfires keep climbing with more than 100 people dead and 1,000 still unaccounted for.@LlamasNBC reports on questions over emergency sirens and Hawaiian Electric as tensions grow over tourism in the area. pic.twitter.com/Fyhrfi3nNc

— NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt (@NBCNightlyNews) August 17, 2023