Apologies if this was already diaried, but I haven’t seen any mention. Over the weekend, the Hawaiian island of Kaua’i was hit by a massive rainstorm — exceeding over 2 feet of rainfall in some places. As a result, the island experienced extreme flooding and multiple mudslides. To date, there are no reported casualties, although damage to property and infrastructure is extensive. The North Shore town of Hanalei is cut off due to closures of the Kuhio Highway, and other residents further west are cut off by landslides. Over 400 residents have been evacuated to date. The Hanalei river flooded causing extensive damage to homes nearby. According to Hawaii News Now:
As crews continue to rescue some residents and deliver supplies to others, Kauai Mayor Bernard Carvalho says it's still much too early to estimate the extent of the devastation.
Early eyewitness accounts, though, put the number of homes and business that have sustained serious damage or been destroyed in the "dozens."
"We have an assessment team on the ground, boots on the ground," Carvalho told Hawaii News Now on Tuesday. "We are already bringing supplies. We're already bringing equipment to help support that part of the island. My concern is of course for our keiki and kupuna as well."
And it seems that they aren’t out of the woods yet. Another smaller storm is on the way which could cause additional stress to an already water-soaked area:
Meanwhile, forecasters say another round of wet weather is set to move in starting Thursday. And while Kauai isn't expected to get the brunt of the heavy rains, they say that even moderate showers in flood-ravaged areas could trigger big problems.
“While this system isn’t expected to be as severe as the last one, we will be keeping a close eye on the weather and make the necessary adjustments to keep all our people and visitors safe,” Mayor Bernard Carvalho said, in a news release.
Please consider donating to aid in the relief and rebuilding effort. Some links below, courtesy of Hawaii News Now:
Hawaii Red Cross
Malama Kaua’i
More links- how you can help
For those who have ever had the good fortune to live in or visit Kaua’i, you know what a special place it is. For those who haven’t, it is truly one of the most beautiful places in the world. Please consider helping out those affected by these storms, and pray for some sunshine to dry things out so that recovery and rebuilding can commence.
Mahalo!