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Over 4,000 told to evacuate flooding in Hawaii as officials warn 120-year-old dam could fail
+412 words added -379 words removed
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The Associated Press
Streets are flooded from severe rains Friday in Haleiwa, Hawaii. Mengshin Lin/AP hide caption
HONOLULU — Muddy floodwaters from severe rains inundated streets, pushed homes off their foundations, swallowed vehicles and prompted evacuation orders for thousands of residents in towns north of Honolulu on Friday as officials warned of the possible failure of a 120-year-old dam.
Emergency sirens blared along Oahu's North Shore, where rising waters damaged homes in a community world-renowned for its surfing.
Streets are flooded from severe rains Friday in Haleiwa, Hawaii. Some 5,500 people were under evacuation orders.
"There's no question that the damage done thus far has been catastrophic," he said.
Blangiardi said officials felt confident in the stability of the dams on the island, but that it was hard to predict how much rain would come and what it might do.
The camp is on high ground but authorities didn't want to leave them there, the mayor said.
Kimberly R.Y. Vierra, a spokesperson for St.
On Maui, officials issued an evacuation advisory for some Lahaina neighborhoods after nearby retention basins neared capacity. Parts of those neighborhoods were burned by the massive wildfire that destroyed much of Lahaina in 2023.
After the worst of it, a similar but weaker storm was forecast to bring more rain through this weekend.
Josh Green said in a social media post.
One shelter at Waialua High and Intermediate School was evacuated because of flooding, Scheuring said. There were about 185 people and 50 pets there who needed to be bussed to another evacuation center, but by midday 54 people still remained in the shelter.
Parts of Oahu received 8 to 12 inches (20 to 30 cm) of rain overnight, further saturating the ground after the storm last weekend.
Winter storm systems known as "Kona lows," which feature southerly or southwesterly winds that bring in moisture-laden air, were responsible for the deluges. The intensity and frequency of heavy rains in Hawaii of have increased amid human-caused global warming, experts say.
As she prepared to evacuate to a friend's home on higher ground, Waialua resident Kathleen Pahinui told The Associated Press in a phone interview that the aging Wahiawa dam is a concern every time it rains.
"Just pray for us," she said. "We understand there's more rain coming."
The state has said the dam has "high hazard potential," and that a failure "will result in probable loss of human life."
The earthen dam was built in 1906 to increase sugar production for the Waialua Agricultural Company, which eventually became a subsidiary of Dole Food Company. It was reconstructed following a collapse in 1921.
The state regulates 132 dams across Hawaii, most of them built as part of irrigation systems for the sugar cane industry, according to a 2019 infrastructure report by the American Society of Civil Engineers.
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− Honolulu officials told residents Friday morning to leave the area downstream of Wahiawa dam, saying it was "at risk of imminent failure."
There were no immediate reports of deaths or injuries, but some homes had been swept away, said Ian Scheuring, a spokesperson for Honolulu.
+ Honolulu officials told residents Friday morning to leave the area downstream of Wahiawa dam — long known to be vulnerable — saying it was "at risk of imminent failure."
There were no immediate reports of deaths or injuries, but some homes had been swept away, said Ian Scheuring, a spokesperson for Honolulu.
− Firefighters, crews in the air and lifeguards on jet skis searched flood waters for people who had been stranded — efforts that were hampered by people flying personal drones to get images of the flooding, he said.
+ Crew searched by air and by water for people who had been stranded — efforts that were hampered by people flying personal drones to get images of the flooding, he said.
− Mengshin Lin/AP hide caption
During an afternoon news conference, Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi said dozens — if not hundreds — of homes had been damaged.
+ Mengshin Lin/AP hide caption
Dozens — if not hundreds — of homes had been damaged but officials have not been able to fully assess the destruction, Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi said in an afternoon news conference.
− Officials had not been able to fully assess the destruction due to the floodwaters.
− The National Guard was airlifting about 70 children and adults who had been attending a spring break youth camp at a retreat on Oahu's west coast called Our Lady of Kea'au, according to city and camp officials.
+ The National Guard and Honolulu Fire Department airlifted 72 children and adults who had been attending a spring break youth camp at a retreat on Oahu's west coast called Our Lady of Kea'au, according to city and camp officials.
− Francis Healthcare System of Hawai'i, which runs the camp, said floodwaters had cut off the main access road.
+ Francis Healthcare System of Hawai'i, which owns the retreat property in west Oahu, said floodwaters had cut off the entrance road to the camp.
− The county said crews were redirecting and pumping water to keep levels safe.
− Officials have been watching dam levels since a storm last week dumped heavy rain across the state, which led to catastrophic flooding that washed away roads and homes.
+ Streets are flooded from severe rains Friday in Haleiwa, Hawaii.
+ Mengshin Lin/AP hide caption
Officials have been watching dam levels since a storm last week dumped heavy rain across the state, which led to catastrophic flooding that washed away roads and homes.
− Streets are flooded from severe rains Friday in Haleiwa, Hawaii.
+ "It's going to be a very touch-and-go day," Hawaii Gov.
− Mengshin Lin/AP hide caption
"It's going to be a very touch-and-go day," Hawaii Gov.
− Most of the state was under a flood watch, with northern Oahu under a flash flood warning, according to the National Weather Service, which reported "widespread life-threatening flash flooding," particularly in Haleiwa and Waialua.
+ Most of the state was under a flood watch, with Haleiwa and Waialua in northern Oahu under a flash flood warning, according to the National Weather Service.
− Kaala, the island's highest peak, got nearly 16 inches (40 cm) in the past day, on top of 26.6 inches (67.6 cm) between March 10 and 16, the National Weather Service said.
+ Kaala, the island's highest peak, got nearly 16 inches (40 cm) in the past day, NWS said.
− In the last few years, Dole agreed to transfer ownership of the dam to the state, which wants to make more than $20 million in improvements, but the transfer isn't complete.
+ The state has sent Dole four notices of deficiency about the dam since 2009 and five years ago fined the company $20,000 for failing to address safety deficiencies on time, according to records.
Afterward, Dole proposed to donate the dam, reservoir and ditch system to the state in exchange for the state's agreement to repair the spillway to meet and maintain dam safety standards.
The state passed legislation in 2023 authorizing the dam's acquisition.
− The state has been warning Dole since 2009 that the upgrades were needed, the nonprofit news organization Honolulu Civil Beat reported Friday.
+ It also provided $5 million to buy the spillway and $21 million to repair and expand it to comply with dam safety requirements. But the transfer has not been completed. A state board is due to vote on the acquisition next week.
− "The dam continues to operate as designed with no indications of damage," the company said in an emailed statement.
+ "The dam continues to operate as designed with no indications of damage," Dole said in an emailed statement.