August 12, 2023
1 min read

Bezos, Sanchez Announce $100 Mn Pledge to Aid Hawaii’s Wildfire Recovery Efforts

More than 1,000 buildings had been destroyed in Lahaina, a coastal town with a rich history that attracts some two million tourists a year….reports Asian Lite News

Billionaire Jeff Bezos and his girlfriend Lauren Sanchez have announced a $100 million fund to help with recovery efforts for the wildfires in Maui, Hawaii.

Eighty people were confirmed to have been killed by wildfires on the Hawaiian island of Maui, according to officials, making it the deadliest natural disaster in the state’s history.

In an Instagram post late on Friday, Sanchez wrote that they “are creating a Maui Fund and are dedicating $100 million to help Maui get back on its feet now and over the coming years as the continuing needs reveal themselves”.

“Jeff and I are heartbroken by what’s happening in Maui. We are thinking of all the families that have lost so much and a community that has been left devastated.

The immediate needs are important, and so is the longer term rebuilding that will have to happen – even after much of the attention has subsided,” she added.

According to earlier reports, Bezos purchased a 14-acre estate on La Perouse Bay for an estimated $78 million last year. The bay is less than 20 miles south of fires in South Maui.

In May, Bezos, 59, and Sanchez, 53, got engaged and threw engagement parties. They started dating in 2018 and reportedly went public with their relationship after the Amazon billionaire divorced his first wife MacKenzie Scott in 2019.

Meanwhile, West Maui, where Lahaina is located, is still without power and water. Search crews are still in the area looking for wildfire victims.

More than 1,000 buildings had been destroyed in Lahaina, a coastal town with a rich history that attracts some two million tourists a year.

Wildfires on Hawaii’s Maui island and Big Island began on Tuesday night. The cause is still not known but once lit, hurricane winds and dry weather helped fuel the flames.

ALSO READ: US open to train Ukrainian pilots on F-16 Fighters

Previous Story

India urges peace in South China Sea

Next Story

Death toll rises to 80 in Hawaii wildfires 

Latest from -Top News

Modi 3.0: Power Play Amid a Resurgent Opposition

Ashraf Nehal and Amal Chandra analyse the shifting political landscape in India during the recent winter session of Parliament. They delve into the interplay between the BJP’s diminished majority, an emboldened opposition,

India bids emotional farewell to Manmohan Singh

The nation bid an emotional farewell to the stalwart Congress leader who was fondly known as the ‘Architect of India’s economic reforms’. Former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh was laid to rest

Biden pays tribute to India’s ex-PM Manmohan Singh

Presiden Biden emphasised that “the unprecedented level of cooperation between the United States and India today would not have been possible without the Prime Minister’s strategic vision and political courage.” US President
Go toTop

Don't Miss

Taiwan in, China out in Biden’s virtual summit

China, the United States’ principal rival, is not invited, while

Trump sues CNN for $475 mn in punitive damages

Alleging that CNN has maliciously made false and defamatory statements