Maui Locals Slam Oblivious Tourists on Vacation: 'There's Two Hawaiis'

One resident of the devastated Hawaiian island of Maui has said that there were "two Hawaiis right now" as she criticized tourists who had continued their summer holidays, seemingly oblivious to the death and destruction a number of large wildfires caused.

Meanwhile, Hawaiian-born actor Jason Momoa of Aquaman fame urged tourists to stay away from the island so they did not take up vital resources. Volunteers have been bringing aid to Maui after the local authority warned of limited supplies in the early stages of the disaster last week.

Large bush fires on Maui caused power outages, mass evacuations and extensive destruction to the historic resort town of Lahaina. The fires broke out early last week and spread rapidly on hurricane-driven winds from a passing storm.

County of Maui officials put the death toll of the fires at 96 on Monday evening, with many more still unaccounted for. Hawaii Governor Josh Green said he was certain that the number of deaths would rise in the coming days, but that identifying bodies was taking time.

In the latest update, county officials said that the fire around Lahaina—which spanned an estimated 2,170 acres—was 85 percent under control. Multiple fire crews were monitoring it. Another blaze was now entirely contained, while a third was 60 percent contained due to hot spots in hard-to-reach areas.

"The same waters that our people just died in three days ago are the same waters the very next day these visitors—tourists—were swimming in," one unnamed resident of Maui told the BBC on Sunday. "And that says a lot about where their heart and mind is through all of this and where our heart and mind is now.

"You don't see our people swimming, snorkeling, surfing. Nobody is having fun in tragedy and continuing their lives like nothing has happened."

The Maui resident added: "There is two Hawaiis right now: there is the Hawaii we're living in; and the Hawaii they're living in, they're visiting in."

On Monday evening, footage emerged purporting to show individuals relaxing in the ocean while boats brought essential supplies to the shore. Newsweek could not immediately verify the authenticity of the video.

In an update on Friday, the U.S. Coast Guard said it had save 17 lives and helped a further 40 survivors ashore, after some jumped into the waters off Lahaina to escape the flames. It added there were no missing persons in the water.

However, Kekoa Lansford, a Lahaina resident, told the BBC the same day that there were still "dead bodies in the water and on the seawall." Newsweek approached the U.S. Coast Guard via email for comment on Tuesday.

Green has urged visitors with plans for non-essential travel to Maui to postpone their trips while recovery efforts ensue. The Hawaii Tourism Authority said in a statement on Monday that visitors had largely heeded the call to leave.

However, on Monday evening, the Maui Police Department indefinitely suspended a program to expedite the disbursement of aid "due to the overwhelming demand from non-essential individuals and non-Maui residents who have flooded the distribution areas."

The Hawaii Tourism Authority added that hotels to the west of the island—where a bush fire ripped through areas including Lahaina—had ceased accepting reservations as employees were "working on disaster recovery." Airbnb has said it would provide free temporary accommodation to up to 1,000 people through lettings on the island.

Maui Guide, a tourism advice website, told visitors to "give them hell" if hotels were refusing refunds and not housing the displaced on Saturday. The site added that a lot of Airbnb owners were not offering refunds, and urged them to allow guests to reschedule.

"We need roads clear, rooms empty, food on shelves, and all locals with free hands using them to take care of those that need help," Maui Guide said.

"Maui is not the place to have your vacation right now," Momoa, who was born on Honolulu and has since starred in Game of Thrones and Aquaman, wrote on Instagram. "Do not convince yourself that your presence is needed on an island that is suffering this deeply."

While there may be some animosity towards tourists remaining on the island through the disaster, there are hopes that visitors will return to the popular getaway once the emergency situation has subsided.

On Monday, Maui Guide gave a rough timeline for tourists who wished to return to Maui. It told them to stay away through August, "wait and see" in September, but urging them to return in October as "many Maui businesses will fail without your on-island financial support."

Newsweek approached the Hawaii Tourism Authority via email for further comment on Tuesday.