Hawaii urges residents to ‘leave now’ amid worst flooding in over 20 years
The Guardian • • nation
Key Points:
- Hawaii is experiencing its worst flooding in over 20 years, with officials urging residents in severely affected areas to evacuate immediately due to continued heavy rains and saturated soil from previous storms.
- Floodwaters have inundated large parts of Oahu’s North Shore, leading to evacuation orders for 5,500 people and concerns about the potential failure of a 120-year-old dam near Waialua.
- Maui’s Lahaina area, still recovering from a 2023 wildfire, has had evacuation advisories upgraded to warnings as retention basins approach capacity amid ongoing rainfall.
- Governor Josh Green estimated storm damages could exceed $1 billion, affecting infrastructure including airports, schools, roads, homes, and a hospital, and confirmed federal support after
