Thousands ordered to evacuate as Hawaii hit by severe flash floods
The Guardian • • nation
Key Points:
- Flash floods and the imminent risk of the Wahiawā dam failure on northern Oahu prompted urgent evacuation orders for downstream residents, with emergency sirens and warnings issued early Friday morning.
- Heavy rains caused the dam to overflow at a rate of 1,500 gallons per second, raising fears of collapse or breach, while floodwaters inundated roads and homes, complicating evacuation efforts.
- Emergency services faced challenges reaching affected residents, with some shelters losing power and requiring evacuation, and officials advised those trapped to move to the highest accessible level.
- The Hawaii National Guard was activated to assist with the severe flooding, which followed a prior multi-day storm that caused widespread damage and flooding across the state.
- The Wahiaw
