Summary:
- Maui wildfires death toll rises to 106, with 79-year-old Lahaina musician among the first identified victims.
- Search crews and FEMA working diligently to comb through the rubble and find missing individuals.
- The disaster scene described as a combination of fire, tornado, and hurricane damage, with iconic landmarks reduced to rubble.
- Families of missing individuals await news and support from authorities as the community demonstrates strength and resilience.
- Over a thousand responders from around the world aiding in recovery efforts, but patience is requested as the process continues.
With Johnson with granted access by FEMA to Lahaina, he starts us off live from Maui with the latest. Good morning, Whit. Michael, good morning...
We got an up close look at the hardest hit area of Lahaina as search crews comb through the rubble. It is a slow and delicate process, and the death toll continues to climb. This morning, Maui's wildfire disaster, now claiming at least 106 lives. 79-year-old Lahaina musician Buddy Jantok among the first to be identified...
For him to be taken from us that way, I think that's what's the hardest to come to terms with. Hundreds still unaccounted for as search teams continue their painstaking work...
Officials say more than a thousand responders are on the ground here in Maui from across the globe. More resources are on the way, but they're calling for patients. The recovery efforts they expect could take at least a week.