PRESIDENT MICHAEL D Higgins has written to US President Joe Biden to offer his condolences for the “tragic loss of life and livelihoods” on the Hawaiian island of Maui.
Devastating wildfires ripped through the western part of the island, killing at least 115 people.
As of Sunday, 850 names were on a list of missing people and nearly 2,000 people remained without power while 10,000 were without telecom connectivity.
Biden visited the island yesterday and told survivors that the nation “grieves with you”.
He also promised the US federal government will help “for as long as it takes” to recover.
In a letter to Biden today, President Higgins said: “I know I am expressing the thoughts of all of us in Ireland at the tragic loss of life and livelihoods on the island of Maui, may I offer my profound condolences to you, to the people of Hawaii, and to all in the United States of America.”
Higgins offered his sympathies to Hawaiian Governor Josh Green and to all federal officials involved as they “support those who are bereaved and who are still searching for loved ones”.
President Higgins has written to President Joe Biden to express his condolences to all those who have been impacted by the tragic loss of life and livelihoods on the island of Maui pic.twitter.com/f9BVDfHc4s
— President of Ireland (@PresidentIRL) August 22, 2023
Higgins also offered his sympathies to “all those displaced and who will have been deeply affected in so many ways by the impact of the wildfires on their island, their homes and livelihoods and its precious ecosystem”.
He praised the courage and resilience the residents of Maui have shown since the wildfires which began on 8 August.
Biden recently visited Ireland and Higgins said the Hawaiian wildfires have caused him to recall his discussions with the US president in Dublin, “as we reflected upon the global challenges resulting from climate change”.
“I am very saddened to see what has occurred in the US and in many other countries since we met and I am sure that these events only strengthen our resolve to find solutions, as a matter of great urgency, to protect our fragile planet,” said Higgins.
“Tragedies such as this lay bare our interconnectedness and the power of collective action.”
Higgins noted how Biden referenced the “enduring strength of the connections between Ireland and the United States, a partnership for the ages” during his recent visit.
“Hawaii, and the island of Maui, like much of the United States, has provided a welcoming home to so many Irish,” said the Irish President.
More than 1,000 federal officials remain on the ground to respond to the wildfires in Hawaii, according to the White House.
The administration has distributed more than $8.5 million (€7.8 million) in aid to some 8,000 affected families, including $3.6 million (€3.3 million) in rental assistance.
-With additional reporting from Press Association
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