Hawaii Reels from Worst Flooding in Two Decades, Damage Estimated Over $1 Billion

HONOLULU (AP) — The worst flooding to hit Hawaii in two decades swept homes off their foundations, floated cars out of driveways, and left floors, walls, and counters covered in thick, reddish volcanic mud. As of Monday, March 23, 2026, crews continue to assess the destruction, with authorities reporting hundreds of homes damaged, along with some schools and a hospital.

No deaths have been reported, but more than 230 people had to be rescued. Rain continued to fall on the southeastern part of the state, and a section of the Huge Island remained under a flash flood warning.

This Was Hawaii’s Worst Flooding Since 2004

Gov. Josh Green stated the cost of the storm could exceed $1 billion, including damage to airports, schools, roads, homes, and a Maui hospital in Kula. He described it as the state’s most serious flooding event since 2004, when floods in Manoa inundated homes and a University of Hawaii library. The Guardian reported on the extent of the damage.

On Oahu’s North Shore, famed for big wave surfing, waters rose rapidly after midnight on Friday, March 20, 2026, as heavy rains fell on soil already saturated from a winter storm the previous week. Raging waters lifted homes and cars. The storm prompted evacuation orders for 5,500 people north of Honolulu – though they were later lifted – and more than 230 people were rescued from the rising waters. USA Today provided visuals of the aftermath.

Some residents fled on surfboards as water reached waist or chest high.

Farms around the state reported more than $9.4 million in damage as of Monday, according to a survey conducted by Agriculture Stewardship Hawaii, the Hawaii Farm Bureau, and other organizations. Oahu farmers reported more than $2.7 million in crop damage.

Trapped by Rising Water

Michael McEwan and his wife, Heather Nakahara, returned to their home in Waialua on Oahu’s North Shore over the weekend to find their kitchen counters covered in red silt. Piled-up furniture blocked a hallway, and a folding table they didn’t own was lodged under a heavy sleeper sofa. They discovered two other mystery tables in their backyard.

The rushing water trapped the couple in a bedroom closet for eight hours with their two little terriers and three parrots until daybreak on Friday, March 20, 2026, when McEwan flagged down firefighters driving down their road. Rescuers tied a rope to a tree next to their bedroom, guiding them through a narrow channel of flowing water.

They likely will have permanent reminders of the flooding in their house because of the red volcanic mud permeating everything.

“It’s full of iron, so it stains everything brownish-yellow,” McEwan said.

Winter Storm Systems Brought Severe Deluges

Officials attributed some of the devastation to the sheer amount of rain that fell in a short period. Parts of Oahu received 8 to 12 inches (20 to 30 centimeters), according to the National Weather Service. This was on top of another recent storm that had dumped vast amounts of rain days earlier. Kaala, the island’s highest peak, received nearly 16 inches (40 centimeters) late last week, on top of 26.6 inches (67.6 centimeters) between March 10 and 16.

Winter storm systems known as “Kona lows,” which feature southerly or southwesterly winds bringing moisture-laden air, have been responsible for the deluges in the past two weeks. The intensity and frequency of heavy rains in Hawaii have increased amid human-caused global warming, experts say.

The worst of the storms appeared to be over by Sunday afternoon.

Volunteers Show Up to Clean Debris and Thick, Red Mud

Crews are still assessing the extent of the damage, but by Monday, Oahu’s Department of Emergency Management had received more than 400 reports of damaged or destroyed homes, spokesperson Molly Pierce said.

In some neighborhoods, residents have had to trample through silt up to their knees or deeper to reach their properties, she said.

Along with its consistency, the rusty hue of the mud makes it a nightmare to clean up.

“When it’s dry, the dust stains, and when it’s wet, the mud clings,” Pierce said Monday. She compared it to heavy, wet snow.

Volunteers have been arriving from across Oahu and even from other islands to aid clear away muck and debris, Pierce said.

Residents and Officials Fret Over an Aging Dam

As the waters rose Friday, officials warned that the 120-year-old Wahiawa dam, north of Honolulu, was “at risk of imminent failure.” The dam has long been vulnerable, but worries eased as the water subsided.

The earthen structure was built in 1906 to increase sugar production for the Waialua Agricultural Co., which eventually became a subsidiary of Dole Food Co. It was reconstructed following a collapse in 1921.

The state has said Wahiawa dam has “high hazard potential” and a failure “will result in probable loss of human life.”

It has sent Dole four notices of deficiency about the dam since 2009 and fined the company $20,000 five years ago for failing to address safety deficiencies on time, according to records.

Afterward, Dole proposed donating the dam, reservoir, and ditch system to the state in exchange for an agreement to repair the spillway to meet and maintain dam safety standards.

“The dam continues to operate as designed with no indications of damage,” Dole said in a statement.

Groups Are Raising Funds for Those Affected

Gov. Green on Sunday recommended that those wanting to support impacted households donate to the Hawaii Community Foundation, which has activated its Stronger Hawaii Fund to deploy resources across all affected islands.

The nonprofit Hawaiian Council too launched the Kako’o Oahu initiative to help individuals and families through housing and financial assistance and other support. The council matched the first $100,000 in donations and is continuing to fundraise.