Over 30 people are still missing in Los Angeles County as firefighters continue battling two fires that have burned down communities.
The death toll is at 27, but around 30 people are still missing in the wildfire areas, Fox News reported on Thursday.
“We continue to work with multiple partners, not only in the recovery of remains, but then ultimately the identification of the deceased and then the notification to the next of kin,” Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said during a press conference, adding that evacuation orders were still in effect in those areas so that officials could search for more deceased victims.
“We have to hold for the right time and the right resources to process the scene correctly, and that’s going to take a little while. Please be patient with us,” he explained.
Officials have located 12 people safe, but there were still 31 missing persons cases, with over twenty in the Eaton Fire area and a few in the Palisades.
“Fire officials said the Eaton Fire has scorched an estimated 14,117 acres and is 55% contained as of Thursday. The Palisades Fire has consumed approximately 23,713 acres and is 22% contained,” the Fox article read.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has been posting photos and information about missing persons which readers can find here.
On Friday morning, the agency shared an image of a missing woman whom it deemed at risk, noting she is “believed to have been displaced by the Eaton Fire”:
Meanwhile, tens of thousand of residents ordered to evacuate their homes were informed on Thursday they would not be permitted to return for at least a week, AFP reported.
“Electricity, gas and sewage lines are wrecked, there is toxic waste everywhere, and there is a growing threat of hazardous mudslides or landslips, officials said at a news conference,” the article continued.
In addition to those hazards and the tragic loss of life and property as a result of the fires, residents are also worried about looters targeting their neighborhoods, per Breitbart News.
On January 9, Los Angeles officials called in elements of the California National Guard to help prevent looting and possible civil unrest while also assisting emergency crews.
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