Anthony La Puente has lived in Lahaina, Hawaii for 16 years. Puente fled to safety after a fire recently swept through the city. Yesterday Friday, he looked back at his home area, there is nothing to say. Like many other residents of Lahaina, his house was destroyed in the fire.
Piles of hot ash still piled up across the city. The houses, which were occupied by people even a few days ago, have now turned into ashes. But in spite of so much devastation, a giant banyan tree stands. This banyan tree in Lahaina is 150 years old. It is the oldest tree in the United States. But while the tree still survives, the city that it supported for so long is no more.
Hurt in the place of his emotions
Puente, 44, told AFP, “I’ll just say, I’m in pain. Hurt in the place of his emotions. It is painful not to be able to see the things that were around, the things with which memories are connected.
On August 8, wildfires broke out on the west coast of Maui. It quickly spread to the seaside town of Lahaina. The residents of the city were forced to leave their homes and move to other places.
Many of these residents were allowed to return to Lahaina after the fire subsided yesterday. La Puente is one such person.
12 thousand people live in Lahaina. This town on the island of Maui was once home to the royal family of Hawaii.
An AFP delegation visited the scene in Lahaina yesterday. At this time, they saw burnt cats, birds and animals lying in different places. Wires were seen dangling from downed electric poles.
Puente Searches
Taking a piece of iron from the chair, Puente searches through the ruins of the house to see if anything is intact. A water mug was found in the wreckage, but various memorabilia including photographs were destroyed. Among them were some valuables left by his late father.
Puente said, “I packed my father’s things in a bag. I thought I could find out whenever I wanted. But now it will not be possible. Everything is wiped out.’
Meanwhile, the homestead was wiped out, but the local residents were overjoyed to see their neighbors alive. Hugging each other.
One such Chinese Cho. Neighbor Amber hugged Langdon and cried. Said, “I was looking for you.”
But not everyone’s homes were wiped out. Some are returning to the area and finding homesteads intact. Keith Todd was left speechless to find his house intact. He saw that the house’s solar panel is still supplying electricity to the kitchen.
“I couldn’t believe it,” Todd told AFP.
While Todd’s house was intact, the neighbor’s house was destroyed.
AFP representatives toured the town of Lahaina. They saw ash piled up on Wayne Street. However, the Maria Lanakila Catholic Church stands intact in the pile of ashes.
The stone walls of the historic Hale Pahao prison still stand. However, the wooden building where disobedient sailors were punished is no more. A 170-year-old historical landmark has been destroyed through this.
A little further is Front Street. There were some restaurants and clothes shops. Standing in these, the port could be seen. All loins are now wiped out. The boats that were anchored in the harbor a few days ago are now charred.