Hawaii Gov. Josh Green Warns of $1B Damage in Worst Flood in 20 Years

Hawaii is experiencing its most severe flooding disaster in over two decades, with Governor Josh Green warning that the storm damage could exceed $1 billion.

The flooding, triggered by intense rainfall on already saturated ground from previous winter storms, has caused widespread devastation across Oahu and other islands.

Aloha State Daily

Emergency officials have issued evacuation orders for 5,500 residents on Oahu's North Shore, an area famous for big-wave surfing.

The muddy floodwaters have covered large parts of the island, sweeping away homes and vehicles, and officials are monitoring a 120-year-old dam that faces imminent risk of failure.

Despite the catastrophic damage, no fatalities have been reported as of Friday evening.

Emergency response teams have conducted extensive rescue operations across the affected areas, with Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi reporting that 233 people needed rescue as of Friday evening.

Rescue efforts have been conducted by air and water, with the National Guard and Honolulu Fire Department airlifting 72 children and adults from a spring break youth camp at Our Lady of Kea'au on Oahu's west coast.

Anadolu Agency

However, these operations have faced interference from civilians flying personal drones to capture footage of the flooding, which has hampered emergency teams' ability to reach those in need.

The scale of the damage is evident in the fact that dozens, and possibly hundreds, of homes have been damaged, though officials have not yet been able to complete comprehensive damage assessments.

Emergency officials are closely monitoring the Wahiawa Dam, a 120-year-old structure that reached critically high water levels on Friday morning.

“Hawaii suffered its worst flooding in more than 20 years after heavy rain fell on ground already saturated by a winter storm the week before, officials said Friday, warning more rain was expected over the weekend”

CNBC TV18

By early Friday morning, water levels in the dam had reached 85.10 feet, surpassing the previous record set in October 2005 and leaving it just a few feet below the top of the 90-foot tall dam.

Governor Josh Green called 88 feet 'a very critical threshold,' noting that evacuation is usually ordered when the water level reaches 85 feet.

While water levels had dropped slightly to 82.68 feet by Friday evening, officials warned that additional rainfall projected over the weekend could cause waters to rise again.

The dam's vulnerability is particularly concerning given its age and the fact that most dams in Hawaii were originally built to support irrigation systems for the sugar cane industry, according to a 2019 infrastructure report.

Federal assistance has been secured for Hawaii's disaster recovery efforts, with Governor Green reporting that his chief of staff had spoken with the White House and was assured that federal support would be available for the islands.

The state is also receiving support from the Hawaii Community Foundation, which has already begun raising money for recovery efforts.

Daily Mail

To accommodate evacuees, several Oahu hotels are offering deeply discounted kama'aina rates starting at $191 per night.

Despite the challenges, Green characterized the flooding as Hawaii's worst since the 2004 Manoa floods, which swamped homes and a University of Hawaii library.

Officials are bracing for additional rainfall, with projections of another 6-8 inches of rain over the next few days, which could exacerbate flooding conditions given that the ground is thoroughly saturated.