July 14, 2025

FacebookTwitterInstagramYouTube
  • Home
  • Events
  • NEWS
    • Top Stories
    • National News
    • National Sports
  • Current Contests
  • Photos/Video
    • Photos
    • Videos
  • On-Air
    • Kat & Ku`ehu
    • G. Cruz
    • Kaohu James
  • Podcasts
    • KWXX Mauna Loa Eruption Updates
    • Island Conversations
    • COVID-19 Interview
  • Contact
  • Info
  • Search
  • FCC Applications
MENU
  • Home
  • Events
  • NEWS
    • Top Stories
    • National News
    • National Sports
  • Current Contests
  • Photos/Video
    • Photos
    • Videos
  • On-Air
    • Kat & Ku`ehu
    • G. Cruz
    • Kaohu James
  • Podcasts
    • KWXX Mauna Loa Eruption Updates
    • Island Conversations
    • COVID-19 Interview
  • Contact
  • Info
  • Search
  • FCC Applications

Damage Assessment Begins as “Kona Low” Moves West

December 9, 2021 at 5:00 am tdemartini
  • Blogs
  • Uncategorized
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Reddit
  • +1
  • Pocket
  • LinkedIn
hawaii-severe-weather-2

On Wednesday, December 8, State and County teams began assessing damage from the “Kona Low” weather system.

The Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency (HI-EMA) worked with the Maui Emergency Management Agency and the local chapter of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) to assess damage, flying a sortie from Kahului Airport in a single-engine fixed wing aircraft. The CAP took aerial photographs of several damaged areas of Maui, including the Kihei area, but was unable to photograph the Kula region because of cloud cover. Another flight is expected to assess that area Thursday, weather permitting.

The weather system dumped more than 20 inches of rain on areas of Hawaiʻi, at as much as 3 inches an hour. It caused widespread flooding, power outages, landslides, and damage. While some lingering power outages are still being fixed, HI-EMA urges those who can safely access damaged property to quickly document the damage and contact your insurance company as soon as possible.

County and state emergency managers also plan to send out damage assessment teams in the coming days to document the storm damage.

For insurance purposes, residents are asked to take video or photographs of flood damage before cleaning up. Photos and other documentation will be needed if funding becomes available to assist with recovery from the storm.  After documenting any damages, residents should begin cleanup immediately.  There is no need to wait for a flood insurance adjuster or inspector.

Those affected by the storm are encouraged to follow the guidelines below:

  • Make sure the electricity and gas are shut off to avoid fire or harm.
  • Wear heavy boots, gloves, and goggles during cleanup as your home may be contaminated with mold or sewage.
  • Be aware of hidden structural damage. Floodwater may have weakened roads and building foundations.
  • Avoid wading in floodwater which may be hiding debris, contaminated with sewage, or electrically charged.
  • Prevent carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. Use generators, pressure washers, or other gasoline- powered machinery outdoors at least 20 feet from doors, windows, or vents.

Each County has online tools to report residential and business damage. These forms are used only to collect information that will help local officials understand the damage that occurred and impacts on the community. Those tools can be found here.

  • Hawaiʻi County
  • Maui County
  • Honolulu City + County – Home
  • Honolulu City + County – Business
  • Kauaʻi County

Additionally, a statewide Crisis Cleanup line has been activated for those impacted by flooding from the recent storm. If you need volunteers to help with cleanup or debris removal, please dial 2-1-1 and request cleanup assistance.

As this severe weather illustrates, disasters can strike at any time. Please take the time to know your hazards, develop a plan, create a ‘Go Kit’ for your ʻohana, and sign up for free  County alerts.

 

AP Photo

Tags: Hawaiʻi Emergency Management, Kona Low storm, severe weather
Previous Story
Governor Ige Appoints Holly T.M. Shikada State Attorney General
Next Story
Worldwide COVID-19 Cases Surpass 268 Million

Facebook

Twitter

Tweets by KWXX

"Hawaii's Feel Good Island Music Radio Station"

Info

  • Home
  • Contests
  • Socialize
  • Contact Us
  • Station Info
  • EEO
  • FCC Public File (KWXX)
  • FCC Public File (KAOY)

National News

Aftermath of Central Texas flooding

Central Texas braces for more flash flooding, as search for victims is suspended

Yellow Tape Showing Text "Police Line Do Not Cross" Restricting a Crime Scene Area At Night. Close Up Aesthetic Shot with Bokeh Effect and Flickering Lights.

Shooting at class reunion in Chattanooga, TN leaves 4 hospitalized

Social

Facebook Facebook Twitter Twitter Instagram Instagram YouTube YouTube
KWXX – Hilo, HI © 2025 Powered by OneCMS™ | Served by InterTech Media LLC
Are you still listening?
3628718273
Mozilla/5.0 AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko; compatible; ClaudeBot/1.0; +claudebot@anthropic.com)
bc5c70d05a7d9e347344a174b033cbe006fd783f
1
Loading...