The Hawaiian islands are grappling with relentless rainfall this weekend, triggering hazardous flash floods that have forced thousands to evacuate, disrupted power for many, resulted in over 200 rescues, and left a trail of destruction across the state.
While evacuation alerts have been lifted for areas on Oʻahu positioned downstream of the Wahiawā Dam, the threat of more torrential rain looms large. Consequently, Flash Flood watches are still in effect, keeping residents on high alert.
On the social media platform X, FEMA announced on Saturday that it is collaborating closely with Governor Josh Green and the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency. The federal agency emphasized its readiness to assist in rescue and shelter operations as needed, prioritizing the safety of both lives and communities.
During a press conference on Friday evening, Governor Green labeled this event as Hawaii’s most significant flood in two decades, referencing the Manoa flood of 2004. The gravity of the situation has mobilized the Hawai‘i National Guard (HING), which has deployed around 200 soldiers and airmen to aid all counties affected by the persistent Kona Low storm.
First responders have been tirelessly working to assist residents trapped by the swiftly rising floodwaters. As of Friday evening, Governor Green reported that nearly 196 individuals had been rescued from perilous situations.
Gov. Green said nearly 196 people had been rescued as of Friday evening.
More than 80 people at campsites were rescued by the Honolulu Fire Department on O’ahu on Friday, with many more rescues likely across the island.
Flooding reached a dangerous peak Friday when a Flash Flood Emergency was issued over concerns of “imminent failure” at Wahiawa Dam in Honolulu County, prompting evacuation orders for Waialua and Haleʻiwa that were lifted after water levels stabilized.
O’Ahu Emergency Management said on Saturday the dam continues to hold, but stationary bands of heavy rain could raise the dam to a “threatening” level.
Since Thursday, the county has been swamped by catastrophic flooding, with over 20 inches of rain reported.
Gov. Green said a major hospital on Maui, airports, schools, homes, and roads have all been damaged across the islands, as blocked areas expand due to the massive amounts of water flow, debris, and mud.
The Honolulu Police Department also reported a sinkhole at Mokapu and Oneawa on Saturday morning.
“We are now beginning to contemplate the reality that this storm could cost over a billion dollars of damage,” Gov. Green said.
The American Red Cross has boots on the ground on O‘ahu, Maui, and the Big Island to assess damage from the most recent Kona Low storm.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency said it was on the ground to offer support and is monitoring conditions on O’ahu.
Hawaiian Electric warned residents to avoid downed power lines that could be energized.
The agency warned people to stay at least 30 feet away from downed lines.
According to data from poweroutage.com, there were over 8,000 reported outages in Hawaii on Saturday, with the majority reported on the island of O’ahu.
Flash Flood Warnings remain in effect for Honolulu County and Maui County until 2:30 and 3 a.m. local time on Saturday.
A Flood Watch is in place for the entire state, excluding the summits of the Big Island, through Sunday.
Some locations have seen more than a foot of rain in just 24 hours.
Hawaii has not seen much of a break from the rain, as it received more than 50 inches of rain with the most recent system earlier in the week.
The FOX Forecast Center said a larger Kona Low will bring several areas of low pressure over Hawaii through Monday, tapping into anomalously high atmospheric moisture, and will continue to deliver periods of heavy rain and flash flooding across Maui and the Big Island.
Another widespread 3-5″ of rain is expected across almost all the islands through early next week. Higher amounts of 8-12″ will remain across the higher elevations, with localized amounts of over a foot once again possible, the FOX Forecast Center said.
By Monday morning, the heaviest rain will start to move away from Hawaii as the winds start to shift.
The winds by Monday afternoon will shift to be more easterly, allowing the islands to start to dry out. By Tuesday, typical afternoon rain showers will dominate the weather throughout the end of the week.
