Crews and residents in Hawaii on Monday, March 23, were assessing the widespread destruction left by theworst floodingthe state has seen in over 20 years.
Back-to-back "kona storms," which are subtropical, low-pressure systems that typically impact the leeward side of the Hawaiian islands, brought devastating rainfall and high winds in Oahu and Maui. Floodwaters washed out homes, damaged roads, submerged vehicles, and threatened a major dam in northern Oahu over the weekend.
"On average, one to two kona storms affect Hawaii each season. However, it is extremely rare for two Kona storms to impact the islands within the same month, especially in the span of a week," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski.
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The storm prompted evacuation orders for about 5,500 people north of Honolulu, and over 200 people were rescued from catastrophic flooding, authorities said. Evacuation noticeswere later lifted, but much of the state remained under a flood watch through the weekend.
As residents returned to their damaged homes, forecasters and authorities warned on March 23 that theflood watchwas still in effect for the Big Island through the afternoon. Aflash flood warningwas also issued for the island of Oahu through the afternoon of March 23, according to the Honolulu Department of Emergency Management.
Aerial images and videosshowed inundated communities and destroyed homes covered in thick mud. Scott Humber, spokesperson for the Honolulu Emergency Operations Center, told USA TODAY that it was "too early to provide a reliable damage estimate," but authorities were continuing to respond to the storm's ongoing impacts.
"Our immediate focus remains on life safety, supporting impacted residents, and stabilizing affected areas," Humber said in a statement. "As conditions improve, City teams will continue damage assessments across impacted communities, particularly on the North Shore but also on the Leeward coast of O'ahu."
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Clean up, recovery efforts underway
In anews releaseon Sunday, March 22, Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said the immediate threat from the storm had passed, and state and county crews were working to assess damages and clear debris.
Multiple departments from the city of Honolulu were assisting with debris removal on March 23, according to Humber. The Honolulu Ocean Safety Department and Honolulu Fire Department were also helping with safety operations, and local police were providing traffic control and security.
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"Today, we are deploying additional resources directly into Waialua, including more than two dozen roll-off dumpsters to support large-scale cleanup, and we have waived tipping fees to make it easier for residents to dispose of debris," Humber added.
Damage from the flooding could total $1 billion, according to Green. The cost includes damage to numerous homes, roads, schools, airports, and a Maui hospital.
The storms impacted many areas of the island, but Oahu's North Shore was hit particularly hard. TheHonolulu Board of Water Supplyissued a boil-water notice for North Shore residents, warning of the risks of harmful bacteria. The agency was unable to provide an estimate of when water service will return.
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The governor advised residents to "remain cautious as conditions stabilize" and noted that some areas were still experiencing flooding, road closures, or infrastructure damage. He urged the public to avoid entering floodwaters and unsafe areas.
"The strength of Hawaii is our people," Green said in a statement. "Throughout this storm, we saw neighbors helping neighbors, communities stepping up, and our emergency teams working tirelessly to keep everyone safe. I want to thank our essential workers and partners for their incredible dedication - and I am deeply grateful to the people of Hawai'i for looking out for one another during this challenging time."
Hawaii's worst flooding in over 20 years
The flooding in Hawaii is the worst the state has seen since the 2004 Manoa Flood, according to Green. A flood on Oct. 30, 2004, was one of several flash floods amid a storm that brought heavy rain. Rain peaked at a rate of 1.29 inches in 15 minutes and 8.71 inches in 6 hours.
The Manoa Stream overflowed in several areas, and the worst flooding occurred when a flood wave tore through a residential area and onto the University of Hawaii at Manoa campus. Floodwaters destroyed irreplaceable documents in the basement of Hamilton Library and damaged several laboratories with critical experiments, according to the National Weather Service.
No deaths or injuries were reported, but damage costs reached about $85 million at the time. About 120 homes were damaged, and a footbridge over the Manoa Stream was destroyed.
Contributing: Dinah Voyles Pulver, Jeanine Santucci, and Kate Perez, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Hawaii residents, crews shift to recovery mode as flood risk lingers
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