Hurricane Lowell delivered a devastating
blow to Hawaii as it swept past the state’s islands, leaving at least one person dead, damaging homes, and cutting power to tens of thousands, according to Gov. Josh Green.
Governor Assesses Damage and Recovery Efforts
We’ve seen an incredible amount of damage near the shore,
Green told CNN’s Jake Tapper, adding the storm has likely caused hundreds of millions of dollars
in damage. We’re doing what we can to recover, but this was a very serious storm,
the governor told CNN.
More than 300 National Guard members have been deployed across the islands, and the Department of Transportation is assisting with mudslides and washed-out or damaged roads. Crews are prioritizing power restoration to hospitals.
Fatalities and Injuries Reported
A homeless man on Oahu died after a tree fell on the tent he was living in, the governor confirmed. Kauai County spokesperson Ryan Wilson told CNN there have also been storm-related injuries, though details on severity and the extent of structural damage were not immediately available.
Widespread Power Outages and Infrastructure Damage
Wind gusts exceeding 80 mph knocked out power for roughly 90% of homes and businesses in Kauai County, which includes the islands of Kauai and Niihau, according to PowerOutage.com. The county’s utility provider stated Tuesday morning there is no estimated time of restoration
and warned outages could be long-lasting.
There are currently downed power lines, downed trees, debris all over Kauai, so we are really urging folks to stay in place,
said Alan Clinton, situation unit leader with Kauai County. More than 30,000 customers also lost power on Oahu due to tropical-storm-force wind gusts.
Evacuations and Emergency Shelters
Voluntary evacuation advisories are in place for 650 residences on the south and west shores of Kauai due to storm surge, Wilson and county emergency management spokesperson Molly Pierce told CNN. In Kapa’a, dozens of guests at the ISO Hotel were evacuated to shelters Monday, according to CNN affiliate KITV. As of Tuesday morning, more than 300 people and dozens of pets were housed in Kauai County emergency shelters.
Coastal Flooding and Transportation Disruptions
Coastal flooding closed roadways in South Maui and areas of Maui Nui Monday morning, the County of Maui reported on Facebook. The flooding left debris clogging roads, damaged transportation infrastructure, and forced park and service closures. On Oahu, high surf inundated several ground-floor units in a western condominium, CNN affiliate Hawaii News Now reported.
All flights at Lihue Airport, Kauai’s primary airport, were canceled Monday afternoon. The airport will reopen when conditions allow, according to Hawaii’s Department of Transportation. All state and county offices, Kauai Community College, and public schools are closed in Kauai County and on Oahu Tuesday as cleanup and damage assessments continue.
Rainfall Totals and Lingering Threats
Lowell has weakened to a tropical storm as it moves north away from Hawaii, but trailing rainbands continue to drop rain on already saturated areas. More than a foot of rain has fallen in higher elevations on Kauai, while Oahu’s Koolau mountains recorded 5 to 9 inches. Most other areas received 1 to 3 inches.
El Niño Fuels Active Pacific Season
El Niño is amplifying storm potential in the central Pacific this year, warming ocean temperatures and weakening upper-level winds that typically suppress hurricane formation, on top of long-term ocean warming from climate change. Five named storms, including Lowell, have already formed or tracked into the Central Pacific. A typical season sees only five total, but NOAA’s forecast calls for as many as 13 by season’s end.