A historic seaside town that once was the capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii has been largely reduced to ash as wildfires continued to rip through the state Wednesday.
The town of Lahaina, situated on the west coast of Maui, was evacuated along with several others on both Maui and the Big Island. Video obtained by NBC News shows the town in chaos, with local businesses ablaze and heavy smoke filling the streets. Some residents jumped into the ocean seeking safety from the flames.
According to official updates on the town’s website, “Hundreds of families have been displaced, dozens of businesses have burned, and there’s a strong chance some people have died.” Officials confirmed Thursday that at least 36 people have died.