Bezos, Sanchez announce $100 mn fund to help Hawaii recover from wildfire

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

The Hawaii wildfires have reached a grim milestone because the loss of life toll rose to 67, making it the deadliest pure catastrophe within the state’s historical past.

In an Instagram publish late on Friday, Sanchez wrote that they “are making a Maui Fund and are dedicating $100 million to help Maui get again on its ft now and over the approaching years because the persevering with wants reveal themselves”.

“Jeff and I are heartbroken by what’s taking place in Maui. We are considering of all of the households which have misplaced a lot and a neighborhood that has been left devastated. The speedy wants are vital, and so is the long run rebuilding that can have to occur – even after a lot of the eye has subsided,” she added.

According to earlier stories, Bezos bought a 14-acre property on La Perouse Bay for an estimated $78 million final 12 months. The bay is lower than 20 miles south of fires in South Maui.

In May, Bezos, 59, and Sanchez, 53, acquired engaged and threw engagement events. They began courting in 2018 and reportedly went public with their relationship after the Amazon billionaire divorced his first spouse MacKenzie Scott in 2019.

Meanwhile, West Maui, the place Lahaina is positioned, continues to be with out energy and water. Search crews are nonetheless within the space in search of wildfirevictims.

More than 1,000 buildings had been destroyed in Lahaina, a coastal city with a wealthy historical past that pulls some two million vacationers a 12 months.

Wildfires on Hawaii’s Maui island and Big Island started on Tuesday night time. The trigger continues to be not identified however as soon as lit, hurricane winds and dry climate helped gasoline the flames.

(With inputs from IANS)