Rebuilding Lahaina: Maui Residents Reclaim Their Community
After devastating fires and storms, Lahaina residents are determined to rebuild their town for the local community, not just tourists.
Maui residents in Lahaina are taking a stand to rebuild their community in the wake of recent natural disasters and crises. In March, the island was hit by two powerful storms that brought the worst flooding seen in 20 years, carving new paths through the barren landscape left by the deadliest wildfires in US history just three years prior. Muddy floodwaters turned streets into rivers, breaking open roads and flooding houses, while sinkholes appeared, engulfing cars.
The fires in 2023 destroyed more than 2,000 structures in Lahaina and claimed over 100 lives. Hundreds of affected households are still in temporary housing, and the town's pre-existing issues with poverty, unemployment, and housing instability have only worsened. But the resilient community is determined to rebuild Lahaina for themselves, not just for tourists.
{{IMAGE_PLACEHOLDER}}Source: The Guardian
