Hawaii Faces Record Flooding as Aging Wahiawa Dam Looms

Hawaii’s Oahu experienced its worst floods in more than 20 years after Kona-low rains drenched saturated ground, forcing evacuations for about 5,500 people and raising fears the Wahiawa dam could fail. Gov. Josh Green estimated damages could exceed $1 billion, with impacts to airports, roads, schools, homes and a Maui hospital as more rain was forecast. The aging dam, built in 1906 and deemed high-hazard, remains a focal point even as talks to transfer ownership from Dole to the state continue; no deaths were reported, though several people were hospitalized with hypothermia and many structures were damaged.