Officials on the ground say the weather conditions are slightly improving but the images in the air and on the ground capture the widespread devastation. The fires that tore across Maui especially Lahaina left dozens dead and nearly 300 structures destroyed.
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00:00 (upbeat music)
00:02 Officials on the ground saying the weather conditions
00:05 are slightly improving, but the images in the air
00:08 and on the ground captured the widespread devastation.
00:11 What we saw looked like an area that had been bombed
00:15 and burned in a war zone.
00:18 It was unbelievable.
00:19 The fires that tore across Maui, especially Lahaina,
00:22 leaving dozens dead and nearly 300 structures destroyed.
00:26 One man we spoke with says he believes his home is lost
00:30 and described to us his terrifying escape.
00:32 It was a huge black smoke back then.
00:35 And,
00:38 it's indescribable.
00:43 It's like,
00:45 they say apocalyptic.
00:49 Thousands trying to flee the fires left stranded
00:52 at the airport, being told it might be days
00:54 before they can leave.
00:56 The lucky passengers who managed to make it back home
00:59 describing the desperate conditions they just left in Maui
01:03 and how they're just thankful to now be safe.
01:05 We had power out for about 36 hours
01:08 at the resort we're at.
01:09 Hurricane winds, it was bad.
01:12 We went for a walk.
01:14 We kind of turned the corner and Lahaina was just on fire.
01:18 Back on the island, the area most severely impacted,
01:22 the historic town of Lahaina,
01:24 once the capital of the Hawaiian kingdom
01:26 and home to 12,000 people, now utterly destroyed.
01:30 Driving through the town, charred trees, burned out cars,
01:33 every structure reduced to rubble.
01:36 The entire seafront decimated.
01:38 Even the ocean didn't deter the flames.
01:41 This ferry burned out.
01:43 Evacuation efforts are difficult.
01:46 You can see this is the one way in and out
01:49 as people are waiting desperately.
01:51 Dozens of cars lined up,
01:53 waiting to see if they can check on their homes
01:55 and neighbors.
01:56 Melissa Adan, ABC News, Maui.