Hawaii has been hit by a system that meteorologists call “Kona Lows.” This is a type of low-pressure cyclonic storm that forms in the central Pacific during the winter. Parts of the island (especially Oahu and Kauai) have received so much rain that records have been broken. The heavy rains have literally turned roads into rivers. Landslides that cut off entire communities are a big problem.
Given that we write about environmental protection, this is a great example of how deforestation and urbanization affect the stability of the soil during such disasters. There can be also potential issues: When these record rainfalls occur, the floods do not choose what they carry, and the final destination is always the same: the ocean. Microplastics and large waste, from bottles to tires and construction debris. It all ends up in coral reefs where it can become a trap for sea turtles and fish. Chemicals, heavy metals and oil from roads and cars, this can be a problem for sensitive organisms.
Although “Kona” storms are a natural phenomenon, scientists warn that a warmer ocean is adding fuel to these systems, making rainfall much more intense than it was a few decades ago. A state of emergency has been declared in certain counties, and civil defense teams are on the ground evacuating people from low-lying areas. These extreme weather conditions also affect coral reefs. When heavy rains fall, they wash soil and sediment into the ocean, which can affect corals in the coastal areas.
Governor Josh Green officially confirmed that this is the most serious situation since the 2004 Manoa disaster, when the University of Hawaii library was destroyed. This weekend, an emergency evacuation order was issued for more than 5500 people on the north shore of Oahu. The situation was so critical that people fled their homes literally at the last minute. Maui recorded an unreal 116 cm (46 inches) of rain in just a few days (March 10–15). In Honolulu, daily records from the 1950s were also broken. Much attention is focused on the 120-year-old Wahiawa Dam. The water level came to less than two meters from the overflow edge, which caused panic over the potential rupture that would submerge entire settlements downstream.
Initial estimates indicate that the cost of rebuilding roads, bridges, schools and hospitals will exceed a billion dollars. What makes this flood special is the “Double Hit” effect. The first storm completely soaked the land about ten days ago, so this second wave that arrived on Friday and Saturday (March 20 and 21) had nowhere to swell. The ground was already like a sponge full of water, so each new drop went directly into the torrents.
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