Maui awaits Biden with more than 1,000 missing and unidentified victims

More than 1,000 people are still missing after the devastating Maui fire that hit the small town of Lahaina. Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said search and rescue efforts continue to scour the area.

In addition, the number of missing and deceased is also expected to continue to rise. The latest report published Sunday night revealed that there are 114 confirmed deaths. "More than 1,000 are unaccounted for, about 1,050. It will take several weeks still. Some of the challenges are going to be extraordinary,” Governor Green said in an interview on CBS News.

The Democrat explained that search and rescue teams have covered at least 85% of the affected area. He hopes that in the coming weeks they can get to the other 15%. He explained that one of his biggest concerns is that there are some remains that will be impossible to recover. "We do have extreme concerns that, because of the temperature of the fire, the remains of those who have died, in some cases, may be impossible to recover meaningfully. So there are going to be people that are lost forever. And right now we’re working obviously with the FBI and everyone on the ground to make sure that we do what we can to assess who’s missing."

The crisis in Maui is also deepening amid investigations into what started the fire. One of the main questions is why the emergency sirens didn't sound. State Attorney General Anne Lopez said she will conduct a thorough review of the decision-making and policies that were applied to combat the wildfires in Maui. "My Department is committed to understanding the decisions that were made before and during the wildfires and to sharing with the public the results of this review," Lopez said in a statement.

The head of the Maui Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), Herman Andaya, submitted his resignation amid strong criticism for the way he handled the forest fire that resulted in the death of more than a hundred people. According to a statement posted on Maui County social media, Andaya submitted his resignation effective immediately and Mayor Richard Bissen accepted it.

"Given the gravity of the crisis we are facing, my team and I will be placing someone in this key position as quickly as possible and I look forward to making that announcement soon,” said Mayor Bissen.

President Joe Biden’s lack of comments about the emergency has also been criticized. "'No comment,” Biden responded Aug. 13 when asked, while on vacation in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, if there was anything he wished to say about the rising death toll, according to The Washington Post.

"We ask that you respect the privacy of bereaved families”

Several days after the disaster began, the Biden administration issued a statement announcing that the president would visit on Monday, August 21. "My administration has mobilized a whole-of-government response effort with more than 1,000 federal personnel on the ground in Maui, including nearly 450 search and rescue team members. Jill and I are eager to meet with the brave first responders in Lahaina tomorrow, to spend time with families and community members, and witness firsthand what will be required for the community to recover. We will be here as long as it takes for Maui,” President Biden said.

Despite the efforts of search and rescue teams, it hasn’t been easy to identify the victims. So far, they have been able to contact the families of 11 victims killed in the fires. Meanwhile, 16 others have been identified but they haven’t been able to get in touch with their families.

"We understand that this is an incredibly difficult time for the families, and we ask that the media and the public respect the privacy of the grieving families. We will continue to work closely with the families to ensure that they are updated and supported throughout this process,” the Maui Police Department said.