Trump declares state of emergency in Hawaii; 5 rescued from flooding
HONOLULU (AP/AFP) — Hurricane Lane unleashed torrents of rain and landslides that blocked roads on Hawaii's mostly rural Big Island on Thursday as residents and tourists in the state's biggest city braced for the dangerous storm to come their way.
US President Donald Trump declared a state of emergency as landslides and flash flooding left roads blocked.
The Philippine government on Thursday reiterated its call
to the 375,000 members of the Filipino community in Hawaii to brace themselves for the onslaught of Hurricane Lane.
In an updated advisory, the Foreign Affairs office in Manila urged the Filipino community to prepare their emergency kits and heed all the warnings and directives of Hawaii State and Federal government authorities, as well as specific warnings in their respective areas.
Emergency workers rescued five people from a flooded house in Hilo after a nearby gulch overflowed, said Hawaii County Managing Director Wil Okabe. They weren't injured and were taken to a shelter, he said.
On the state's most populated island, which is about 200 miles (320 kilometers) north of the Big Island, employees of the Sheraton Waikiki resort filled sandbags to protect the Oahu oceanfront hotel from surging surf.
Stores along Waikiki's glitzy Kalakaua Avenue stacked sandbags along the bottom of their glass windows to prepare for heavy rain and flash flooding.
Hurricane Lane, which was still offshore, already lashed the Big Island with nearly 20 inches (50 centimeters) of rain in nearly 24 hours and was moving closer, putting it and Maui "in the thick" of the storm, National Weather Service meteorologist Melissa Dye said. The agency says the storm has weakened to a Category 3 but can still cause major damage.
The hurricane, which was packing maximum sustained winds of 120 mph (193 kph), was expected to move close to or over portions of the main islands later Thursday or Friday, bringing dangerous surf of 20 feet (6 meters), forecasters said.
Lane was not projected to make a direct hit on the islands, but officials warned that even a lesser blow could do significant harm. Some areas could see up to 30 inches (about 80 centimeters) of rain.
Up to 12 inches (30 centimeters) of rain had already fallen before dawn, according to federal authorities, with 30 inches expected in the worst-hit areas over the coming four to five days.
Emergency teams have set up 16 evacuation centers, with a further 19 due to open throughout the day, authorities said, as Trump urged Hawaiians to hunker down and prepare for the worst.
"Our teams are closely coordinating with the state and local authorities. You are in our thoughts!" Trump tweeted.
Landslides and flooding caused by the first rainstorm partially blocked several roads on Big Island, according to local media.
Sea levels were expected to rise as much as two to four feet above normal tide levels, causing coastal erosion and prompting a storm surge and "large and destructive waves."
Flights canceled
United Airlines announced it had canceled all Friday flights to and from Kahului International Airport on Maui, the second-largest island.
Honolulu authorities said they were planning to activate a three-minute island-wide outdoor siren warning system at 4 p.m. (0200 GMT Friday) to alert the public to the possibility of severe flooding.
Free transport will be available between the capital and Oahu island's evacuation shelters, which had welcomed around 350 people by noon, according to the Maui 24/7 local news portal.
The US Coast Guard said 57,000 US military personnel already stationed in Hawaii stood ready to launch search and rescue missions, and provide logistics and medical support.
"Hurricane Lane is not a wellbehaved hurricane," Governor David Ige said in a statement as he declared a state of emergency Tuesday on Big Island. "I've not seen such dramatic changes in the forecast track as I've seen with this storm."
PH Consulate
"We have advised the members of the Filipino Community to prepare emergency kits good for 14 days, as well as heed all the warnings and advise of Hawaii State and Federal government authorities and the specific warnings for their areas," said Consul General Joselito Jimeno in his report to the home office in Manila.
State officials led by Governor David Ige earlier issued an emergency proclamation for the entire state to mobilize emergency agencies ahead of the hurricane, described as the most dangerous to hit the islands in 25 years.
The consul general echoed the warning conveyed by Aloha state officials, saying there is not enough shelter space to meet the "estimated demands" of the population.
"Filipino nationals in the affected areas are advised to inform the Consulate General so it could update their relatives in the Philippines of their conditions. It also stands ready to provide assistance to anyone who will be affected by the hurricane," the Filipino diplomat said. (With a report from Roy C. Mabasa)