Arabic version: هاواي تواجه تنظيفًا ضخمًا بعد الفيضانات المدمرة
Hawaii is grappling with its worst flooding in two decades, as homes have been swept off their foundations and cars floated away in the torrential downpours. The Otake Camp community in Waialua, Oahu, has been particularly hard hit, with thick layers of reddish volcanic mud covering homes and streets. According to The Guardian, authorities have reported that hundreds of homes, schools, and a hospital have suffered significant damage.
Residents are now facing the arduous task of cleaning up, with new rain showers triggering additional flooding on Oahu’s south side. While the National Weather Service predicts that the heavy rains will diminish, the Big Island remains under a flash flood watch. Many residents are still assessing the destruction from the previous week’s flooding, which has left some homes nearly unrecognizable.
Michael McEwan and his wife, Heather Nakahara, returned to their Waialua home to find their kitchen counters coated in red silt and their furniture displaced. The couple endured a harrowing experience, trapped in a bedroom closet with their pets for eight hours until rescuers arrived. The volcanic mud, rich in iron, is expected to leave lasting stains throughout their home.
The financial toll of the flooding is expected to exceed $1 billion, as Hawaii Governor Josh Green indicated. Farms across the state have reported damages exceeding $9.4 million, with Oahu farmers alone facing over $2.7 million in crop losses. Many farmers lack federal crop insurance, complicating their recovery efforts.
Governor Green has recommended that individuals wishing to assist affected families contribute to the Hawaii Community Foundation’s Stronger Hawaii Fund, which has been activated to aid recovery efforts. Local initiatives are also underway to provide housing and other support to those impacted by the floods, which have been exacerbated by winter storm systems known as ‘Kona lows.’ These storms, combined with the effects of climate change, have led to increased rainfall in Hawaii over the past weeks.
