More than 230 people rescued amid dangerous flooding on Hawaii's Oahu island
More than 230 people rescued amid dangerous flooding on Hawaii's Oahu island
MEREDITH DELISO and KENTON GEWECKESat, March 21, 2026 at 4:31 AM UTC
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Dangerous flooding is impacting Hawaii's Oahu island, prompting more than 230 rescues, "catastrophic" damage as major rains pummel the area for the second significant rain event in a week.
At a press briefing Friday evening, Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi said emergency crews have already rescued more than 230 people from life-threatening conditions.
Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said there were no confirmed fatalities or missing persons as emergency responders -- including firefighters, the National Guard and military personnel -- have been deployed across affected areas.
Jacob VanderVelde - PHOTO: A still from drone footage of Wahiawa Dam in Hawaii the morning of March 20, 2026.
Earlier Friday, an evacuation order was issued for Haleiwa and Waialua, including areas near the Wahiawa Dam, according to Oahu Emergency Management, which warned that the dam "may collapse or breach at any time."
The dam "has not failed but is at imminent risk of failure," Oahu Emergency Management said mid-morning local time Friday.
Later, the agency said dam levels were trending down but with more rain expected, some evacuation orders remained in place.
At the press briefing Friday evening, officials said they are closely monitoring water levels at the Wahiawa Dam and others. The governor stressed that there are no reports of structural damage. Concerns centered on rising water levels and the risk of overflow, which could affect stability.
City and County of Honolulu Department of Emergency Management - PHOTO: The National Weather Service in Honolulu has issued a flash flood warning after dam failure on the Kaukonahua Stream below Wahiawa Dam on Oahu, Hawaii, March 20, 2026.
Authorities said widespread damage has already been reported to homes, roads, schools, airports and at least one hospital on Maui, where patients had to be relocated. The full financial impact is still being assessed, but early estimates suggest losses could surpass $1 billion.
At a press briefing earlier Friday, the Honolulu mayor said "dozens, if not maybe hundreds of homes" had been affected by the flooding.
"There's no question that the damage done thus far has been catastrophic," he said.
Search and rescue operations were ongoing on Oahu's north shore, according to Honolulu spokesperson Ian Scheuring, who did not have an official number of people rescued so far.
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On Oahu, all state departments have closed for the day and employees not involved in disaster response and preparedness were sent home due to the weather conditions.
The latest flood threat comes a week after a damaging flood event that washed away roads and damaged homes.
A flash flood emergency was issued for northern Oahu earlier Friday for "catastrophic" flooding. Local emergency personnel had reported "life-threatening flash flooding" early Friday across northern Oahu, according to the National Weather Service in Honolulu.
"Floodwaters have cut off road access in and out of Haleiwa, and widespread flooding of roadways and low-lying areas is ongoing," the NWS said, warning that "significant runoff continues to produce high water levels and dangerous flooding impacts."
The Hawaii Department of Transportation advised of several road closures in the area early Friday due to flooding.
NOAA - PHOTO: Hawaii is seen via satellite, March 20, 2026.
Flood conditions were expected to worsen, with more heavy rain forecast for the region throughout the day. The NWS warned that mudslides could occur in steep terrain areas.
The heaviest rain will be Friday through Saturday for most islands -- with the Big Island getting the heaviest rain on Sunday.
Thunderstorms will be possible at times, which may include damaging winds.
Flood watches are in effect for the Hawaiian Islands through Sunday, with at least 2 to 7 inches of rain possible during the event.
ABC News' Kyle Reiman contributed to this report.
Source: “AOL Breaking”
