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Lawmaker urges sustained federal aid after Hawaii’s record flooding
Summary
A lawmaker told a legislative session that two storms last month produced hurricane-force winds and record rainfall across Hawaii, causing widespread damage and mass power outages; the speaker said federal approval of Governor Josh Green’s disaster declaration is an important first step toward recovery.
A lawmaker told the chamber that "Mister president, Hawaii experienced its worst flooding in more than 20 years last month." The speaker outlined how two storms less than two weeks apart brought hurricane-force winds and record rainfall that devastated large parts of the state.
The lawmaker said the first storm, identified as a Kona low, began March 10 and dropped "close to 10 inches of rain over 4 days" on Oahu, Maui, Hawaii Island and Kauai, and that a later storm delivered additional rainfall that worsened flooding. "2 storms less than 2 weeks apart whipped up hurricane force winds of up to a 135 miles per hour and dumped more than 62 inches of rain in parts of the state," the speaker said.
Describing the damage, the lawmaker said the storms flooded homes, toppled power lines and shuttered schools and businesses. "Over 100,000 people lost power," the speaker said, and added that "more than 5,000 residents were forced to evacuate and seek cover in shelters and schools," with homes lifted off foundations, cars floating out of driveways and roads rendered inaccessible. The lawmaker also gave a striking aggregate figure: "All told, nearly 2,000,000,000,000 gallons of water fell from the sky statewide, enough to fill 3,000,000 Olympic sized swimming pools."
The speaker praised emergency responders and community members for rescue and relief efforts: "We saw it in the heroic emergency responders who rescued hundreds of people who were stuck in danger with no way to get out," and noted neighbors, farmers and businesses who helped with supplies and cleanup. The lawmaker said recovery will be a long process: "Recovering from a disaster of this magnitude will take months and years."
Pointing to federal assistance, the lawmaker said the Trump administration's approval of Governor Josh Green's disaster-declaration request "was so important." The speaker described federal dollars as supporting cleanup, repairs and individual assistance but stressed that state and county governments "cannot do it alone" and will need continued help "in any way we can until the affected people and communities are made whole once again."
No formal vote or motion was recorded in the remarks. The lawmaker concluded by urging sustained support for rebuilding and recovery efforts.
