The Maui Police Department announced Tuesday the death toll from the Lahaina wildfire rose to 100 after an elderly woman hurt in the disaster died last month.
The victim of the fire was identified as 78-year-old Sharlene Rabang of Lahaina, Maui police confirmed. She was one of thousands of people who were flown out of Maui and to Oahu after the Aug. 8 wildfire, the Associated Press reported. Honolulu medical examiner Dr. Masahiko Kobayashi said the woman died on Sept. 4.
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“We extend our gratitude to the community for their support and understanding during this challenging time. Moving forward, this will be the final daily issuance regarding the identities of Maui wildfire disaster victims, and current statistics,” MPD said in a Tuesday statement, announcing the latest death. “A release will be issued if there are any further updates.”
The summer catastrophe was the worst natural disaster in Hawaii’s history and the deadliest U.S. wildfire in over a century.
Winds from Hurricane Dora, combined with hot weather and drought conditions, fueled the wildfire. Dora was a Category 5 hurricane located several hundred miles off the coast of Hawaii.
Hawaiian Electric Company said downed power lines generated the initial spark. Over a dozen lawsuits have been filed against Hawaiian Electric, and plaintiffs allege the company failed to take precautionary measures, leading to widespread damage. Months after the fire, investigators are still assessing the full scope of the damage.
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The fires in the Lahaina and Kula communities killed 100 people and destroyed more than 2,000 buildings, around 1,500 were residential, causing several thousand to need shelter amid a housing shortage that has been occurring for years.
The wildfires caused between $4 billion and $6 billion of damage to Hawaii’s economy, according to risk modeling and solutions company Moody’s RMS.
