Hawaii at risk of ‘catastrophic flooding’ from storms, National Weather Service warns
“Now is the time to make sure you have an emergency plan in place,” Gov. David Ige said as Hawaii County’s mayor declared a state of emergency.
By Chantal Da Silva
The Hawaiian Islands could face “catastrophic flooding” this week from a storm system moving over the archipelago, the National Weather Service in Honolulu said.
In an update Sunday, the weather service said a “kona low,” a type of seasonal cyclone in the Hawaiian Islands, would linger just west of Kauai with a slow westward drift until Wednesday.
It warned that the storm could bring “widespread heavy rainfall…capable of producing catastrophic flooding, and strong southwest winds.”
The weather service said early Monday that flash flood warnings continued for a number of areas, including Kaunakakai, Ualapu’e and Mauna Loa.
Meanwhile, a flash flood warning was extended for Maui, where video posted to social media Sunday night showed heavy rain.
A high wind warning was in effect for the summits of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa on the Big Island through Monday morning, as well as over Haleakala on Maui. National Park Service employees observed winds of nearly 90 mph Monday on Haleakala.
A blizzard warning also remained in effect for the highest summits of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa.
As residents across the islands braced for the storm, Hawaii County Mayor Mitchell Roth declared a state of emergency Sunday “due to the threat of imminent disaster.”
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