Over 5,500 people told to evacuate floods on Oahu's North Shore Muddy floodwaters from severe rains inundated streets, pushed homes off their foundations, swallowed vehicles and prompted evacuation orders for thousands of residents in towns north of Honolulu on Friday as officials warned of the possible failure of a 120-year-old dam. Emergency sirens blared along Oahu’s North Shore, where rising waters damaged homes in a community world-renowned for its surfing. Honolulu officials told residents Friday morning to leave the area downstream of Wahiawa dam — long known to be vulnerable — saying it was “at risk of imminent failure.” More than 230 people were rescued as heavy rains pummeled the Hawaiian island of Oahu and triggered the worst flooding the island has seen in 20 years, inflicting what the governor said could top $1 billion in damage. Water levels have been receding at the dam that authorities warned could fail but that could change if more rain falls. In less than 24 hours, water at the dam went from 79 feet to 84 feet — just six feet shy of what it can handle, authorities said. No deaths were reported and no one was unaccounted for, Gov. Josh Green said at a news conference. About 10 people were taken to a hospital with hypothermia, he said. Crews searched by air and by water for people who had been stranded — efforts that were hampered by people flying personal drones to get images of the flooding, he said. Dozens — if not hundreds — of homes had been damaged but officials have not been able to fully assess the destruction, Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi said in an afternoon news conference. Some 5,500 people were under evacuation orders. “There’s no question that the damage done thus far has been catastrophic,” he said.#hawaii #wahiawa_dam #oahu #dole_food_company #honolulu
