Federal officials sent a mobile morgue with coroners, pathologists and technicians to Hawaii to help identify the dead, as Maui County released the first names of people killed in the wildfire that swept the island a week ago and killed at least 106 people.

Just two victims have been named so far – 74-year-old Robert Dyckman and 79-year-old Buddy Jantoc – while the county said it has identified three more and will release the names after notifying the next of kin.

"It's going to be a very, very difficult mission," Jonathan Greene, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services deputy assistant secretary, said. "And patience will be incredibly important because of the number of victims."

A portable morgue unit arrived Tuesday morning with more than 22 tonnes of supplies and equipment needed for victim identification and processing remains, such as mortuary examination tables and X-ray units.

Maui police chief John Pelletier renewed an appeal for families with missing relatives to provide DNA samples. So far, 41 samples have been submitted, the county statement said, and 13 DNA profiles have been obtained from the remains. 

Governor Josh Green warned that more bodies could be found. The wildfires, some of which have not yet been fully contained, are already the deadliest in the U.S. in more than a century.

Another complicating factor, Green said, is that storms with rain and high winds were forecast for the weekend. Officials are mulling whether to "preemptively power down or not for a short period of time, because right now all of the infrastructure is weaker."

The local power utility has already faced criticism for not shutting off power as strong winds buffeted a parched area at high risk for fire. It's not clear whether the utility's equipment played any role in igniting the flames.

The blaze that swept into centuries-old Lahaina last week destroyed nearly every building in the town of 13,000.

The Lahaina fire caused about $3.2 billion in insured property losses, according to calculations by Karen Clark & Company, a prominent disaster and risk modeling company. That doesn't count damage to uninsured property. The firm said more than 2,200 buildings were damaged or destroyed by flames, with about 3,000 damaged by fire or smoke or both.

Even where the flames have retreated, authorities have warned that toxic byproducts may remain, including in drinking water, after the flames spewed poisonous fumes. That has left many unable to return home.

President Joe Biden said Tuesday that he and first lady Jill Biden would visit Hawaii "as soon as we can," but he doesn't want his presence to interrupt recovery and cleanup efforts. During a stop in Milwaukee to highlight his economic agenda, Biden pledged that "every asset they need will be there for them."

(With input from AP)