More than 2,000 people remained without power Sunday afternoon as Hawaii suffered The worst floods in more than 20 years When heavy rain fell on the islands.
Heavy rain fell on soil already saturated by heavy rains Winter storm a week ago. The raging waters lifted homes and cars, causing an expected $1 billion in damage. The storm led to assessment orders for 5,500 people north of Honolulu – although they were later lifted – and more than 200 people were rescued from rising waters. No deaths have been reported so far, Molly Pierce, a spokeswoman for Oahu’s Department of Emergency Management, said Sunday afternoon.
By Sunday afternoon, Hawaiian Electric had restored power to about 1,200 people in Waialua on Oahu’s North Shore, according to the company. Power was pre-emptively cut off to customers on Friday due to flooding.
Crews continue to assess damage and make repairs, and Hawaiian Electric expects to restore power to an additional 2,000 people later Sunday. In Maui County, about 100 people were without power Sunday afternoon, and all major outages on Hawaii Island have been addressed, according to the company.
“It appears the worst of the storms is over,” Hawaii meteorologist Matthew Foster told The Associated Press.
By Sunday afternoon, the weather had turned from widespread rain to scattered rain from Oahu, Maui County, to Hawaii Island, Foster said. Less than 5 inches (13 cm) of rain is expected on Hawaii Island, and between 1 and 2 inches (3-5 cm) in other areas.
Winds will blow from the northeastern sides of the islands, which have more vegetation and can handle more rain, Foster said. It will take a few days for the moisture to get past the islands, and drier, more typical March weather can be expected by Wednesday.
Additional flooding is still possible, but on an isolated scale rather than widespread, Foster said.
A boil water notice remained in effect Sunday for areas of the North Shore from Mokuleia to Turtle Bay, and residents were encouraged to report damage to the city.
Gov. Josh Green said the cost of the storm could exceed $1 billion, including damage to airports, schools, roads, homes and the Maui Hospital on Kula.
Pierce said officials had been concerned about the possibility of the 120-year-old Wahiawa Dam collapsing, although that concern has primarily subsided since the water levels dropped. The dam continues to be monitored.
Winter storm systems known as “Kona lows,” characterized by southerly or southwesterly winds that bring moisture-laden air, have been responsible for the deluge in the past two weeks. The intensity and frequency of torrential rains in Hawaii have increased amid human-caused global warming, experts say.