Hawaii: Evacuation after 'record' rainfall triggers flash floods and landslides

Hundreds of people have been rescued from a flood-stricken Hawaiian island after storms triggered mudslides and knocked out power and water supplies.

At least 152 people were airlifted to safety by emergency helicopters after becoming trapped on Kauai following heavy rainfall, while 121 others were taken away on jet skis, boats and buses.

It is not known when people will be able to return because eight landslides have blocked the main highway on the island’s north shore, authorities have warned.

Hawaii governor David Ige declared a state of emergency after flash floods ripped homes from their foundations, forced families to clamber onto roofs for safety, and damaged roads.

The floods followed on from what is thought to have been a record deluge of rainfall on Saturday.

“At this time, it is still too early to estimate the extent of storm damage and costs,” said Kauai mayor Bernard Carvalho.

“Dozens of homes and businesses in the North Shore area and other parts of the island have been damaged, and right now we are focusing on relief and search and rescue efforts.”

Emergency crews working to rescue people who were stranded were helped by a let up in rain on Monday.

Forty people, mostly tourists, had been stuck since Saturday night at a Red Cross shelter in an elementary school in the North Shore town of Hanalei.

Plans to airlift them out of the school, which was surrounded by water, were abandoned because severe weather grounded helicopters, said Coralie Matayoshi, CEO of American Red Cross at Hawaii.

On Sunday night another 21 people made their way on boats and jet skis to the shelter, which briefly ran out of food and water.

By the afternoon floodwaters had receded enough for a bus to take them to another shelter, the Red Cross said.

An estimated 30 campers were stranded in the Napali Coast State Wilderness Park on Monday. State parks officials were coordinating with county and state emergency workers about prioritising rescue missions.

Mr Carvalho and Mr Ige assessed damage and rescue needs by helicopter on Monday.

“While we have a long road to recovery ahead of us, we are incredibly grateful for everyone who has stepped to the plate to help in one way or another,” Mr Carvalho.

There were no reports of major injuries. At least two houses in North Shore were completely washed off their foundations, county spokeswoman Sarah Blane said. The houses were vacant, she said.

The Red Cross said volunteers knew of four destroyed homes in Wainiha, and there are probably more homes damaged in Koloa, on the south side, based on aerial photos.

“It’s definitely the worst storm in recent memory,” Ms Blane said.

Some residents said it was worse than Hurricane Iniki, the most powerful hurricane to strike the state, which claimed six lives in 1992.

The National Weather Service recorded 28.1 inches of rainfall in Hanalei between 2am on Saturday and 2am on Sunday before its rain gauge broke.

The record rainfall for a 24-hour period in Hanalei was set in 2012 at 28.5 inches.

“It’s highly likely that the record was broken by heavy rainfall after the gauge stopped recording,” said meteorologist Chevy Chevalier. The weather service is trying to determine why the gauge stopped recording, he added.

Kevin Kaleiohi, who lives in Hanalei, told Hawaii News Now: “I’ve lived here all my life and this storm was pretty gnarly.”

Another local, Flora Quick, was rescued from her rooftop by someone on a jet ski after the rainwater flooded her house.

“When the water comes in, it just only takes a few seconds,” she said. “That’s when I decided, OK, I’m going to climb up.”

She said the water rushing around her house was so powerful she felt the building’s foundations move.

Jeff Culverhouse, manager and partner of a Hanalei shopping centre, said every shop was filled with four to six inches of water and thick mud on Monday.

“The place is a freaking mess, to say the least,” he added.