美国总统乔·拜登(Joe Biden)周四在美国广播公司新闻频道(ABC News)“早安美国”(Good Morning America)播出的一段视频中表示，白宫将帮助夏威夷居民从致命的野火中恢复过来。
“从黑暗、烟雾和灰烬中，我们已经看到了希望和力量的光芒，”他说。
他赞扬了夜以继日工作的第一批救援人员，包括用渔船运送物资的志愿者和厨师——包括那些餐馆被毁的厨师——为失去一切的流离失所家庭做饭。
拜登引用一名食物银行工作人员的话说，他“除了‘阿罗哈’什么也没看到。”"
“那是夏威夷，那是美国，”拜登说。“我想让夏威夷的人民知道，只要需要，你们的国家就会和你们在一起。上帝保佑我们失去的人。上帝保佑夏威夷人民。”
总统和第一夫人吉尔·拜登预计将于周一前往毛伊岛，会见第一反应者和幸存者，白宫说在周三的一份声明中。当地官员周三更新说，致命的野火上周在毛伊岛迅速蔓延，摧毁了历史城镇拉海纳的大部分地区，造成至少111人死亡。大火已经成为最致命的自然灾害在夏威夷的历史上。
2023年8月16日，星期三，在华盛顿白宫东厅的一次活动中，乔·拜登总统在通货膨胀削减法案周年纪念日发表讲话。
埃文·伍奇/美联社
白宫说，拜登夫妇计划会见协调政府应对措施的联邦、州和地方官员。
白宫周三在一份声明中说:“总统继续组织整个政府对致命的毛伊岛火灾做出反应，他承诺在夏威夷人民从这场灾难中恢复过来时，向联邦政府提供他们需要的一切。”。
拜登周二说承诺访问他说他会在恢复期间支持恢复工作。
“我们会在毛伊岛呆多久就呆多久，”他周二说。“只要需要。我是真心的。”
'Light of hope' seen in Hawaii recovery efforts, Biden says ahead of Maui visit
The White House will be helping Hawaii residents recover from the deadly wildfires for "as long as it takes," President Joe Biden said in a recorded video message aired on ABC News' "Good Morning America" on Thursday.
"Already from the darkness and the smoke and the ash -- we’ve seen the light of hope and strength,” he said.
He praised first responders who've worked around the clock, including volunteers bringing supplies in fishing boats and chefs -- including those whose restaurants have been destroyed -- cooking for displaced families who've lost everything.
Biden quoted one food bank worker, who said he'd seen "nothing but 'aloha.'"
"That's Hawaii -- that’s America," Biden said. "And I want the people of Hawaii to know your country is with you as long as it takes. God bless those we've lost. God bless the people of Hawaii."
The president and first lady Jill Biden are expected to travel to Maui on Monday to meet with first responders and survivors, the White Housesaidin an announcement on Wednesday.
Deadly wildfires spread quickly through Maui last week, destroying much of the historic town of Lahaina and killing at least 111 people, local officials said an update on Wednesday. The fires have become thedeadliest natural disasterin Hawaii's history as a state.
The Bidens plan to meet with federal, state and local officials who are coordinating the government response, the White House said.
"The President continues to marshal a whole-of-government response to the deadly Maui fires, and he has committed to delivering everything that the people of Hawaii need from the federal government as they recover from this disaster," the White House said in a statement on Wednesday.
Biden had on Tuesdaypledged to visitHawaii as soon as he could, saying he'd support the recovery for its duration.
"We will be there in Maui as long as it takes," he said Tuesday. "As long as it takes. And I mean that sincerely."
