According to the Associated Press, the storm skirted the state’s western edge earlier in the week, bringing intense winds, heavy rainfall, and destructive storm surges that severely impacted Kauai, Oahu, and Lanai.
Fatalities and Storm Impacts Across the Islands
According to local police and state officials, Lowell’s destructive path resulted in at least two deaths. On Kauai, police found the body of a 74-year-old man along the ocean shoreline near Nōmilu Fishpond on Wednesday, following a missing person report filed Tuesday; officials attribute his death to the storm surge. On Oahu, Gov. Josh Green reported that a homeless man living in a tent in a Waimānalo park died on Monday when a large tree fell on him as the hurricane swept just west of the islands.
Although Lowell did not make direct landfall, it packed sustained winds exceeding 50 mph and dropped up to 18 inches of rain in higher elevations, according to the Associated Press. The severe weather forced the closure of public schools in Kauai County through Friday and heavily damaged oceanfront properties, including the Sheraton Kauai Resort, where thick layers of sand covered the entire first floor.
Infrastructure Damage and Power Restoration
The storm’s heavy winds and flooding knocked out power to more than 60,000 customers at its peak. According to data from poweroutage.us cited by the Associated Press, about 16,000 customers remained without electricity on Thursday as crews worked to clear downed lines and debris. The Kauai Island Utility Cooperative reported that electricity had been restored to three hospitals by Wednesday, but the Kauai Department of Water maintained an islandwide conservation notice due to pressure drops affecting pumps and wells.
On the island of Lanai, the main harbor supplying food and fuel to its 3,300 residents suffered severe damage, including a sinkhole and a compromised pier that scattered containers into the water. State transportation officials estimate repairs to the vital cargo port will take approximately two weeks.
Federal Disaster Request and Historical Comparisons
Gov. Green formally asked President Donald Trump on Wednesday to issue a major disaster declaration to expedite federal assistance for Kauai and Maui counties. According to the Associated Press, Green stated that the overall destruction to Hawaii’s infrastructure, businesses, and homes may be comparable to the devastation caused by Hurricane Iniki, a Category 4 storm that struck Kauai in 1992 and caused $3 billion in damage.
The impact of Hurricane Lowell marks the third time in less than a month that Hawaii has faced severe tropical weather, following storms in August that included Hurricane Lala and Tropical Storm Moke. To assist with recovery, the Hawaii National Guard deployed a task force to Kauai, while Red Cross volunteers established operations across state-managed shelters and food distribution sites.