International

US president Biden and wife to visit Maui on Monday

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 17 Aug, 2023 09:50 AM

U-S President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill are set to visit Maui on Monday in the aftermath of a devastating wildfire on the island that has killed more than 100 people.

The head of the Maui Emergency Management Agency is defending the decision not to sound sirens during the fire.

Our prayers are with the people of Hawai’i – but not just our prayers.

Every asset they need will be there for them.
— President Biden (@POTUS) August 17, 2023

While Hawaii has what it touts as the largest system of outdoor alert sirens in the world, Herman Andaya says the agency was afraid that using it would have sent residents running toward the mountains or inland, which would have been straight into the fire.

Yesterday, the official death toll from the fire rose to 111.

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