STORY: Hawaii wildfires death toll climbs, residents slam gov't response
DATELINE: Aug. 16, 2023
LENGTH: 00:01:15
LOCATION: LOS ANGELES, U.S.
CATEGORY: SOCIETY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of Lahaina (Courtesy of Digital Photo Buzz)
2. screenshots of media reports and comments
3. various of aerial footage (Courtesy of Digital Photo Buzz)
4. various of the aerial view of West Maui (Courtesy of Richard Olsen, Air Maui Helicopters)

STORYLINE:

The death toll from the Maui wildfires in the U.S. state of Hawaii reached 106 as of Tuesday.

The Biden administration is facing renewed criticism for its response to the devastating wildfires after offering victims 700 U.S. dollars per household in emergency aid.

Critics described the sum as "insulting" and compared it with the more than 113 billion-U.S. dollar worth of aid the country has sent to Ukraine.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Joe Biden was on vacation during the weekend and said little about the deadliest wildfire in the U.S. in a century.

When pressed by reporters on Sunday about the rising deaths, he responded "no comment."

The fires broke out Tuesday last week.

Maui residents have slammed the federal response to the devastating wildfires, saying that "no one else is helping."

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said more than 300 FEMA employees and 140 search and rescue team members have been deployed to assist Hawaii residents with more on the way.

According to the White House, the U.S. military personnel are also supporting response and rescue efforts.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Los Angeles, U.S.
(XHTV)