The death toll from the fires in Hawaiithe deadliest in more than a century in the United States 93 people and according to authorities it could increase, amid harsh criticism of the authorities’ management of the crisis.

Only a small part of the burned area could be raked in search of victims. “None of us know the magnitude” of the disaster yetMaui Police Chief John Pelletier confirmed.

The fire affected or destroyed more than 2,200 buildings in the coastal town of Lahaina, in West Maui, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reported, estimating a loss of $5.5 billion in that area alone.

The heat from the flames was so strong that the recovered bodies are difficult to identify.explained Pelletier. Only two of them could be identified.

The fire “melted the metal,” was an example of the police chief calling on the relatives of the disappeared to undergo DNA testing to try to identify the remains found.

critics

Criticism of the authorities’ response is mounting. Residents complain about the lack of warnings about the arrival of the fire, which trapped dozens of people in the tourist town of Lahaina.

“The mountain behind us caught fire and no one warned us,” said 63-year-old Vilma Reed.

Reed, whose home was destroyed, said they fled the flames with nothing to wear and now rely on donations and the kindness of strangers.

“This is my house now,” the woman said, pointing to the car they slept in with her daughter, her grandson and two cats.

Hawaii Attorney General Anne Lopez announced she will conduct “a comprehensive review of critical decision-making and current policies.”

Lahaina, a city of more than 12,000 that was once the capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii, lay in ruins and shops, hotels, homes and restaurants were reduced to ashes.

A majestic fig tree, which stood in the center of the city for 150 years, survived the flames but lost its leaves and its huge bare branches were charred and covered in soot.