HONOLULU (KNX) — A state of emergency has been declared in Hawaii by Governor David Ige due to a “Kona low” that is threatening the islands with “catastrophic flooding.”
A Kona low is a cyclone that occurs seasonally and is pounding the state with heavy rains as it drenches the western half of the state.
The state of emergency is set to run at least through Friday.
So far, the weather event has cut power for many of the islands’ residents, downed trees and left roads flooded.
The extreme weather threat is expected to continue through Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service, which also cautioned residents to watch for “numerous landslides” and that driving conditions could be quite dangerous “due to near zero visibility.”
Honolulu Fire Department Acting Deputy Fire Chief Sheldon Hao said at a press conference that his firefighters had already been called out to “dozens of storm-related events,” which included impassable roads and downed power lines.
Hawaii County Mayor Mitchell Roth also declared a state of emergency “due to the threat of imminent disaster.”
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