Oahu's North Shore Floods, Dam Evacuation Ordered

0:00On March 21st, heavy rains hammered Oahu's North Shore, flooding streets, damaging homes, and sweeping away cars north of Honolulu. Officials issued evacuation orders for 5,500 residents downstream from the 120-year-old Wahioa Dam, which they said was at risk of failing. Emergency teams conducted air and water searches for stranded people, though personal drones slowed their efforts. Honolulu's mayor reported dozens, possibly hundreds of homes affected, calling the damage catastrophic so far with full assessments delayed by high water. Residents like those in Wahioa expressed worry over the aging dam, a high-hazard structure built for sugar irrigation, and rebuilt after a collapse. Over a century ago, on Maui, evacuation advisories went out for Lahaina neighborhoods near full retention basins still scarred from last year's wildfires. More rain from Honolulu systems is expected through the weekend, after parts of Oahu already saw 8-12 inches overnight, with some peaks, hitting 16 inches.

1:05The state regulates over 100 dams like this one, and plans major upgrades once ownership transfers from a private company. Officials remain vigilant on dam stability amid saturated ground, urging folks to stay safe as flood watches cover most of Hawaii.