Evander Ellis:Number of missing people after Maui wildfires drops to 66, Hawaii governor says

2025-05-06 06:56:11source:SignalHubcategory:Invest

One month after the deadly wildfires that destroyed the historic town of Lahaina and Evander Ellisother areas in Maui, the number of missing people has dropped to 66, Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said in a news statement on Friday. 

The revised number of people missing was a startling drop from the list released last week in which 385 people were still listed as missing. Missing tallies have fluctuated drastically since the deadly August blaze; the initial number was over 3,000, then 385, and now, based on calls and emails the FBI has received, is 66. 

In many cases the only information officials have is the person's name, Green said, and the Maui Police Department "encourages families to share information about any missing loved ones."

Last Friday, when the longer list was released, the governor said in a statement that the "exact numbers are going to take time, perhaps a long time, to become finalized."

There are 115 confirmed fatalities, Green said. The cause of the fire has not been officially determined and investigators are looking into Hawaiian Electric, the state's primary power company. Maui County is suing the power company over the fires, claiming the utility negligently failed to shut off power despite high winds and dry conditions.

Green said that since Aug. 16 agencies have relocated 7,500 displaced survivors from shelters to a total of 29 hotels and hundreds of Airbnbs.

He also said his administration had made the "difficult decision" to open West Maui to travel and visitors again, beginning Oct. 8, with the goal "to bring hope for recovery." 

Emily Mae Czachor and the Associated Press contributed reporting.

    In:
  • Hawaii Wildfires
  • Maui
Cara Tabachnick

Cara Tabachnick is a news editor for CBSNews.com. Contact her at [email protected]

More:Invest

Recommend

Juan Soto to be introduced by Mets at Citi Field after striking record $765 million, 15

NEW YORK (AP) — Juan Soto will be introduced by the New York Mets at Citi Field on Thursday, a day a

Jurors see gold bars in Bob Menendez bribery trial

An FBI agent who led the search of Sen. Bob Menendez's home, in which federal investigators discover

Watchdog: EPA’s lead pipe fix sent about $3 billion to states based on unverified data

ST. LOUIS (AP) — The Environmental Protection Agency distributed about $3 billion to states last yea