Hawaii declares state of emergency after flooding
March 10, 2021
Hawaii Governor David Ige signed an emergency proclamation late Tuesday, releasing aid helping people impacted by catastrophic flooding unleased by days of stormy weather.
The heavy rain is expected to last until Friday. There have been no immediate reports of deaths or injuries.
"The emergency proclamation makes state general funds available that can be used quickly and efficiently," Ige said on Twitter.
Where is the impact being felt?
On the island of Maui, residents of the northern Haiku region were ordered to evacuate after the Kaupakalua Dam overflowed on Monday. Several homes and bridges were destroyed.
The dam itself was not breached or damaged, but evacuations were ordered as a precaution.
Elsewhere on Maui, multiple landslides left major roads impassable.
"This has been unprecedented flooding, I ask everyone to stay vigilant," Maui County Mayor Michael Victorino's office said in a statement.
The Maui Fire Department said it had responded to dozens of emergency calls from people trapped by rising water.
The US National Weather Service recorded over 33 centimeters (13 inches) of rain on Maui's north coast between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Monday.
Elsewhere in Hawaii, officials ordered residents of Haleiwa on the north shore of Oahu to immediately evacuate on Tuesday after a stream running through the surfing town burst its banks. A flash flood warning is currently in place.
wmr/rt (AP,Reuters)