The death toll from wildfires on Hawaii’s Maui island rose to at least 55 people and more than a thousand are reported missing, officials said. It is highly possible that there are more casualties.

Hawaii's Governor Josh Green said the islanders are facing probably the "largest natural disaster in the state's history" and added that hundreds of homes have already been destroyed. Much of the historic town of Lahaina was nearly burned to the ground by the blaze.

"The islands look like they've been bombed," TVN24 correspondent Jan Pachlowski reported.

Many islanders are left homeless, thousands live without electricity as several fires are raging simultaneously on Maui. The blaze is so ferocious that rescuers report troubles going through the flames. Some people were reported to be jumping into the ocean to save themselves from dying in the flames. The National Guard helicopters have already dropped 568,000 litres of water on the wildfires and work is still underway to restore communications and transfer of drinking water.

US President Joe Biden has decided to declare that a major disaster exists in the State of Hawaii. As a result, residents of Hawaii can expect federal aid more quickly and in larger amounts. Among other things, those affected are to receive grants for temporary housing and home repairs or low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses.

Pillars of fire and smoke, fields scorched to the ground, skeletons of burned trees, destroyed boats and ruined homes - chilling images from Hawaii are now making rounds on the internet. Hawaiian residents describe the fires as "apocalypse".

The fire spread due to a combination of factors: dried out vegetation, powerful winds associated with Hurricane Dora and extremely low humidity. The University of Hawaii reports that wildfires are common in some parts of the islands, but this year’s scale is both surprising and frightening.

Source: TVN24, The White House, The Guardian