Photo:Victoria Jones - Pool/Getty; AP Photo/Ty O’Neil
Victoria Jones - Pool/Getty; AP Photo/Ty O’Neil
In a message to PresidentJoe Bidenon Saturday, which was alsoshared on the Royal Family’s official website, Charles, 74, began, “My wife and I were utterly horrified to hear of the catastrophic wildfires currently burning in Maui, Hawaii.”
Noting how they “can only begin to imagine the scale of the devastation engulfing the island, and the heartrending anguish of those whose livelihoods have been so disastrously affected,” the monarch then said that he andQueen Camilla"both wanted to send our deepest possible sympathy to the families of those who have so tragically lost their lives, and our prayers remain with all those whose loved ones are missing and whose homes have been destroyed."
“As the recovery effort continues, my special thoughts are with the extraordinarily brave emergency responders and Maui residents who are providing their support and assistance,” the King concluded.
Can’t get enough of PEOPLE’s Royals coverage?Sign up for our free Royals newsletterto get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!
AP Photo/Rick Bowmer
The King’s message comes as the death toll in Maui, Hawaii, continues to rise, and as preliminary estimates of damages of the fire are set at over $1 billion.
Maui County reported that the number offatalities in Lahaina rose to 80as of 9 p.m. local time on Friday, up from67 deaths reported earlier that day.
Firefighters are continuing to fight blazes and extinguish flare-ups in Lahaina, upcountry Maui and near Pulehu and Kihei, the county said in itslatest press release.
President Biden, 80, previously approved the state of Hawaii’sdisaster declaration, allowing additional federal funding to become available for people affected throughout the area.
Uncredited/AP/Shutterstock
Several large wildfires werefirst reported on the island on Tuesday, with the historic town of Lahaina — a residential and tourist destination that dates back to the 1700s — having received the bulk of the damage.
CoreLogic said the estimate is based on a total of 3,088 residential properties that have burned down in Lahaina, Pulehu and Pukalani.
source: people.com
