Hawaii declares state of emergency as storm leaves hundreds without power

By Chantal Da Silva -

The governor of Hawaii declared a state of emergency when a severe storm left hundreds of people without power and threatened "catastrophic flooding" on the islands.

In a statement posted on Twitter Monday, Governor David Ige said he signed the emergency declaration as heavy rains were expected from a

, a type of subtropical cyclone that occurs during the cold season in the North Pacific. Central, "continued to cause flooding and damage" across the state.

The decision will allow Hawaii to use the funds to provide "rapid and efficient relief from suffering, damage and loss caused by flooding and other effects of heavy rains."

Ige said the period of emergency assistance would be extended to at least Friday, December 10.

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The news comes as hundreds of people have been left without power due to road flooding and falling trees in parts of the Hawaiian Islands.

In a statement shared just after 10 pm local time (3 am ET) Monday, the Hawaiian Electric company said teams were still working to restore power to "hundreds of customers" in downtown Honolulu and Chinatown ”.

However, “due to continued heavy rains” power will probably not be restored until at least Tuesday morning.

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The National Weather Service in Honolulu reported that the

continued to "bring the threat of heavy rain to Kauai County and Oahu" overnight Monday through Tuesday.

While the weather service noted that the "threat of significant flooding" had diminished in some parts of the Hawaiian Islands, it indicated that the possibility of "catastrophic flooding" remained a concern, with the "threats and impacts" of the storm " centered on the western half of the state. "

Three people on a beach in Honolulu, Hawaii, Monday, Dec. 6, 2021.Caleb Jones / AP

The weather service said "numerous landslides" could develop in areas with steep terrain, while "many roads could be impassable due to severe runoff and flooding."

He added that the storm could also create "dangerous driving conditions due to near-zero visibility."

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In response to the threat of the storm, several schools were closed across the Hawaiian archipelago on Monday, while Hawaii County Mayor Mitchell Roth declared a state of emergency on Sunday "due to the threat of impending disaster." .

In the middle of the storm, the Honolulu Fire Department rescued five children, ages 9 to 10, from a raging stream on Monday.

A car turns onto flooded Cooke Street in Honolulu, Hawaii, Monday, Dec. 6, 2021.Marco Garcia / AP

At a news conference, Acting Deputy Fire Chief Sheldon Hao of the Honolulu Fire Department said crews had already responded to dozens of "storm-related events," including downed trees, cable arches and obstructions. on the roads.

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His team remains vigilant, especially after heavy rains in March caused damaging flooding and a landslide in the Hawaiian archipelago earlier this year.

The storm system in March caused the waters to destroy houses and overflow the roads, in addition to causing a landslide on the island of Kauai.

The governor of Hawaii also issued an emergency declaration amid that storm, putting the state on alert for future weather events.