Donated food, clothes, toiletries, bedding and other supplies flooded into the Hawaiian island of Maui to help thousands of people who were uprooted from their homes or left facing major damage due to fast-spreading fires earlier this week, SIA refers to foreign media.
But an enduring telecommunications blackout hampered government and grassroots efforts to distribute those supplies in the worst-affected neighborhoods, especially for an unknown number of survivors waiting out the aftermath in the few buildings still standing in the historic town of Lahaina and neighborhoods on the outskirts.
With their vehicles burned to a crisp, some sheltering at home have no way to drive to distribution centers miles away, or their cars have run out of gas. Others simply don’t know where to go for help. Toxic fumes and downed power lines with live wires make venturing outdoors dangerous.
For those still living inside Hawaii's disaster zone on the western side of the island of Maui, there's one vital lifeline to the outside world- volunteer effort.
Standing at the wheel of the Ocean Spirit, a boat operated by marine conservation charity the Pacific Whale Foundation, is Captain Emily Johnston.
From day one, along with her crew of volunteers, she's been making multiple daily trips, taking supplies of food, water, fuel and clothing to the devastated town of Lahaina and the surrounding communities left without power or phone coverage.
"These islands they go through hurricanes, tsunamis, fires, everything and we're often having to be very self-reliant because we are isolated," Emily tells the BBC reporter.
"But that said, we're all wondering why there was no help sent from Oahu? Pearl Harbour is a twenty-minute flight away."
"Why are the limited resources of the police on this island left alone, where's the support for them? Why are we taking supplies on a boat instead of a helicopter?" the resident added.
Parts of Kula still do not have water, electricity, gas or internet. Cellphone coverage is spotty.
Wind downed massive tree branches on the roof of Kula Lodge, but the picturesque restaurant and bar avoided fire damage and planned to open to the public Tuesday.
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