Jason Mamoa warns tourists against travelling to Maui due to wildfires

Los Angeles, Aug 13 (IANS) Jason Mamoa, who had recently sent his condolences to Maui residents suffering from raging wildfires, has now warned tourists to not go to the Hawaiian island due to the damage caused by the unpredictable wildfires.

The 'Aquaman' actor, who is from Hawaii, took to Instagram to warn travellers who might be planning to visit Maui in the wake of the devastating wildfire that swept through Lahaina this week, killing at least 60 people and causing property damage worth billions.

He wrote: "Maui is not the place to have your vacation right now. DO NOT TRAVEL TO MAUI. Do not convince yourself that your presence is needed on an island that is suffering this deeply. Mahalo to everyone who has donated and shown aloha to the community in this time of need."

'Moana' star Auli'i Cravalho similarly wrote on Instagram: "DO NOT TRAVEL TO HAWAI'I UNLESS YOU ARE RENDING AID … Your vacation can wait."

She added: "I feel numb and close to tears every time I talk about this. Of all the natural disasters we have faced; earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis and flooding…to say we were under-prepared for this disaster is an understatement."

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Momoa giving his thoughts about the devastation said: "It looks like a bomb was dropped right on the town."

 "I can't believe this happened and I'm praying that everyone that's unaccounted for gets reunited with their 'ohana. This is probably the worst disaster that I've lived through so far. As we honor the memories of Lahaina’s past, let us rebuild and restore this historic town."

Maui is a very popular travel destination for tourists, particularly in the United States, though the wildfires have caused an unprecedented level of damage to the area, making vacationing there pretty much impossible.