As the number of fatalities from the tragedy has surpassed 100, the government of Japan said on Wednesday that it will provide $2 million in humanitarian relief to Hawaii to assist with the damage brought on by recent wildfires in Maui.
The aid, which will be provided by agencies like the American Red Cross, is meant to cover food delivery, psychological support, and safety at evacuation sites for individuals impacted by the flames that started on August 8.
"Japan and Hawaii have enjoyed a friendly relationship over the years and have been engaging in active exchanges in various fields," Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters.
The American Red Cross will receive $1.5 million of the total help, with the remaining funds going to Japan Platform, a Tokyo-based NGO.
In addition, Hayashi promised that Tokyo will continue to work "toward the earliest possible recovery" for the affected districts.
Although there have been claims of damage to certain Japanese residents' homes on Maui, Hayashi said there has been no verification of any injuries to Japanese nationals.
Several hundred Japanese citizens have been residents on the island, as per the Japanese Consulate General in Honolulu.
The supportive action from the Japanese government was made public after local officials reported on Tuesday that 110 people had died as a result of the Maui wildfires.
According to American media accounts, the fires are the country's biggest natural disaster since a Minnesota fire that killed hundreds of people in 1918.
Governor Josh Green of Hawaii stated in a television appearance that approximately 1,300 individuals are still missing after the fires. On Tuesday, the county government said that 32% of the disaster's impacted region had been searched.
According to the White House, U.S. President Joe Biden and his wife Jill Biden will visit Maui on Monday to meet with survivors and local leaders.
The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency has estimated that $5.52 billion will be needed to repair the afflicted regions of Lahaina, where most of the destroyed buildings were residences.
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