List of missing after Maui wildfires reduced by 100 people

Some people said they were confused or frustrated to find their names on it

A day after Hawaii officials announced the names of 388 people still missing following the deadly Mauiwildfires, over 100 of those people have been declared safe by relatives.

The FBI said is planning to update the list, according to the Associated Press.

“We’re very thankful for the people who have reached out by phone or email,” said Steven Merrill, the FBI’s special agent in charge in Honolulu. “As we get someone off of a list, this has enabled us to devote more resources to those who are still on the list.”

Some people on the list told AP that they were confused or frustrated to find their names on it.

Arturo Gonzalez Hernandez noticed that he was put on the list even though he had moved away from Lahaina, the historic town which was largely destroyed by the disaster.

Mr Gonzalez warned that an inaccurate list could cause unnecessary stress while people are still in need of help.

“Some people are still struggling with the impact of so many people dying,” he said.

Heidi Mazur also voiced her frustration, explaining that she had been posting on Facebook — and even started an online fundraiser following the blaze. Her Facebook profile says she lives in Lahaina and is from Queens, New York.

She posted a message she had received from someone via Facebook Messenger, notifying her that she was on the missing persons list: “Hey you’re on the revised missing list on KHON NEWS. Lol. I saw you’re (sic) new posts and you’re alive! Have a good evening. Sorry.”

Ms Mazur told the AP: “They will find me in a New York minute if I don’t pay my car registration or taxes, but they can’t seem to locate me in a disaster here in Lahaina!”

The FBI compiled the original list of missing persons which was published on Friday. So far, 115 deaths have been confirmed following the deadliest fires in the US in over a century.

“We also know that once those names come out, it can and will cause pain for folks whose loved ones are listed,” Police Chief John Pelletier said in a statement.

Maui County officials asked for anyone who knows a person on the list to be safe and accounted for to contact authorities.

The 100 names to be removed comes after 1,732 people who were previously reported missing were reported safe as of Thursday afternoon.