Record flooding occurred in Hawaii after downpours that surprised even meteorologists
Kyiv • UNN
Heavy rains flooded Honolulu and damaged hundreds of homes in the Manoa Valley. Rescuers evacuated 230 people due to a sudden rise in water levels.
A sudden flood occurred in the Honolulu area of Hawaii after intense downpours that even forecasters could not accurately predict. This is another natural disaster after a series of storms in the region over the past two weeks. This was reported by AP, writes UNN.
Details
In Manoa Valley, torrents of water carried away cars and flooded streets and houses. Rainfall reached 5-10 cm per hour, and in some areas, up to 15 cm of rain was recorded.
Residents report rapidly rising water: "I was shocked to see how strong the floods were. The water just keeps coming."
No deaths have been recorded, but hundreds of homes have been damaged. More than 230 people had to be rescued, and thousands received evacuation orders.
Damage and government response
According to preliminary estimates, the damage could exceed $1 billion. Farmers alone reported losses of more than $9.4 million.
The state governor has requested a declaration of a state of emergency. Work to clear territories and remove debris continues in the affected areas.
Causes and context
The downpours were caused by the "Kona Low" storm system, which turned out to be much more powerful than expected.
Forecasters note that such phenomena are becoming more frequent: "When you think it's over, it's not quite over yet."
Experts link the increase in precipitation intensity to global warming.
Storms in Hawaii caused $1 billion in damage – Governor23.03.26, 01:53 • 36549 views