Historic Hawaii floods leave 2,000 without power

Historic Hawaii Floods Leave 2,000 Without Power

More than 2,000 people remained without power Sunday afternoon after historic flooding in Hawaii.

The Impact of the Flooding

Heavy rains caused by a winter storm led to devastating flash floods, displacing residents and causing over $1 billion in damage. The storms prompted evacuation orders for 5,500 people north of Honolulu, though these were later lifted.

Rescue Efforts and Repairs

Over 200 people were rescued from rising waters, and Hawaiian Electric restored power to about 1,200 in Waialua on the North Shore. Power was expected to be fully restored to 2,000 later Sunday.

Current Situation

In Maui County, around 100 people were without power, with all major outages addressed on Hawaii Island. Meteorologist Matthew Foster noted that while the worst of the storm has passed, isolated flooding could still occur.

Health and Damages

A boil water notice remained in place for North Shore areas from Mokuleia to Turtle Bay. The cost of the storm is estimated to exceed $1 billion, including damage to infrastructure like schools, roads, and a hospital in Kula. A 120-year-old dam in Wahiawa is being closely monitored but has stabilized since water levels dropped.

Experts link the recent deluges to 'Kona lows' winter storm systems, with increased intensity and frequency attributed to human-caused global warming.