Kona Low Flooding Threatens Hawaii Farms, Food Security in the Islands
About 5,500 people were evacuated due to flooding worsened by heavy rains and concerns over the century-old Wahiawa dam, which nearly reached its capacity, officials said.
- On Friday, massive flooding on Oahu's North Shore triggered evacuation orders for 5,500 people as heavy rains from a "Kona low" storm caused extensive damage and raised fears of a dam collapse.
- Authorities have closely monitored the 120-year-old Wahiawa Dam, which the state classifies as having "high hazard potential" and which Dole Food Company has received multiple safety deficiency notices since 2009.
- Water levels in the dam rose to 84 feet overnight into Friday—just 6 feet shy of capacity—as parts of Oahu received 8 to 12 inches of rain in a short period, overwhelming saturated soil.
- Gov. Josh Green estimated the storm's cost could exceed $1 billion, prompting him to seek federal support as cleanup efforts begin amidst ongoing power outages for thousands.
- A state board is scheduled to vote next week on acquiring the dam, a move intended to facilitate $21 million in repairs to comply with safety requirements Dole proposed to donate.
33 Articles
33 Articles
North Shore evacuees feared for their lives as water swelled | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
Hundreds of North Shore residents jumped into their cars and trucks to flee their flooded homes in the middle of the night, but soon got stuck as their vehicles began floating away and flooding.
About 4,200 without power on Oahu’s North Shore; restoration pending safety inspections
Hawaiian Electric is working to determine if it is safe to restore power to about 4,200 North Shore customers following catastrophic flooding and ongoing evacuation orders.
North Shore residents speak about Kona low 2.0 experiences
Morning light revealed a North Shore changed overnight. Roads vanished under brown water. A camper sat half-submerged. Entire stretches of coastline became isolated pockets, with no clear way in or out.
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