Severe flooding has wreaked havoc on Oahu, Hawaii’s most populous island, forcing widespread evacuations and rescues as intense rains inundate the state.
The flooding, described as the worst in 20 years, has caused catastrophic damage, including destroyed homes, damaged airports and hospitals, and cut off several towns.
Officials have issued urgent warnings regarding the Wahiawa dam on Oahu’s North Shore, fearing that it could collapse or breach at any time.
Emergency Response and Rescue Efforts
Governor Josh Green confirmed that 233 people had been rescued from dangerous flooding conditions across Oahu. He also noted that this ongoing flooding event could result in damages exceeding $1 billion across the public and private sectors.
The flooding follows a second significant storm within a week, which exacerbated the already saturated ground from a previous storm.
“We have had tremendous flooding, but thankfully, there have been no reports of deaths or anyone unaccounted for,” Green said in a news conference Friday night.
Fears of Dam Breach and Evacuations
As floodwaters rose, the Oahu Department of Emergency Management issued warnings for residents near the Wahiawa dam, urging immediate evacuations from nearby towns like Waialua and Haleiwa.
A flash flood warning was also issued for the area, lasting until 11 p.m. local time. With roads in the area also at risk of failure, evacuation orders were issued to prevent residents from becoming trapped.
Kathleen Pahinui, a resident of Waialua, spoke to the Associated Press, expressing concerns over the potential collapse of the dam, a longstanding worry whenever heavy rains occur. “Just pray for us,” Pahinui said. “We understand there’s more rain coming.”
While water levels at the dam began to fall later in the day, authorities cautioned that the risk remained, and evacuation orders stayed in place.
Impact on the Island and Ongoing Weather Conditions
The North Shore of Oahu, which includes towns like Waialua and Haleiwa, has been heavily impacted, with flooding also affecting several other parts of the island.
The California-based film drama The Pitt, currently filming on the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank, was one of the projects affected by the flooding, and more than 4,000 residents in the dam’s risk area have been urged to evacuate.
The Hawaii National Guard has been activated to assist in rescue operations, and U.S. Coast Guard boats and aircraft were deployed to rescue those stranded in floodwaters, particularly in Haleiwa.
In addition to Oahu, Maui has also been facing heavy rainfall, with neighborhoods that were affected by last year’s devastating wildfires now at risk due to nearby retention basins nearing capacity.
Economic and Infrastructure Damage
The heavy rains that hit the islands have caused significant infrastructure damage. Over 6 to 12 inches of rain fell across northern Oahu, causing rivers to overflow.
Emergency responders have been struggling to access the most severely impacted areas, as Kamehameha Highway and Kaukonahua Road, two major routes into the region, have been flooded.
The storm also caused widespread road closures, leaving residents stranded, particularly on Maui where the heavy rains triggered floods, landslides, and sinkholes. At least one home and a condo building on Maui were destroyed by the flooding.
Statewide and Local Concerns
Hawaii’s residents continue to deal with the aftermath of both last weekend’s and this week’s storms. Governor Green has issued multiple emergency proclamations, including a disaster relief period that will be in effect through April 13, to assist those affected by the flooding.
“The ground is saturated from last weekend’s storm, and water is running off quickly, causing more serious flooding,” Green explained. The threat of additional heavy rainfall throughout the weekend and the continuation of flash flood watches across the state make it clear that the situation could worsen.
