#HURRICANE LANE UPDATE HAWAII NEWS NOW WINDOWS#

On Wednesday, President Biden offered his condolences to the families of those who lost loved ones and offered federal support. Aid agencies were also working to help Hawaii's sizable homeless population, many of whom live near beaches and streams that could flood.Given the scale of the disaster, Maui County’s emergency response is strained and Hawaii National Guard and federal resources are offering new aid.

Shelters were open throughout the islands, with 350 people in them in Oahu. Honolulu shopping malls and office buildings closed early on Thursday and planned to shut their doors Friday. 'The only concern is those that venture outside of the properties, that would like to hike on a day like this or who would like to still go into the ocean and see what it's like to take a swim or surf in these kind of waters,' Hannemann said. The hotel will encourage guests to stay in their rooms if the weather worsens and evacuate to hallways if it becomes necessary to avoid windows. The Queen Kapiolani Hotel brought construction equipment inside from a pool deck that's under renovation. (Hollyn Johnson/Hawaii Tribune-Herald via AP) Hurricane Lane soaked Hawaii's Big Island on Thursday, dumping nearly 20 inches of rain in nearly 24 hours as residents stocked up on supplies and tried to protect their homes ahead of the state's first hurricane since 1992. People stand near flood waters from Hurricane Lane making the intersection of Kamehameha Avenue and Pauahi Street impassable Thursday, Aug.

The Marriott Resort Waikiki Beach in Honolulu designated a ballroom on the third floor as a shelter for guests and began removing lounge chairs from around the pool and bar area. Members of his association, which include the state's major hotels, are shifting into high gear with their emergency management plans, he said. Hawaii's biggest hotels are confident they can keep their guests safe as long as they stay inside, said Mufi Hannemann, CEO of Hawaii Tourism and Lodging Association. 'We knew it was coming, so I tried to just cram as much as I could into the last few days in anticipation so we could cross things off of our list,' said Brinson, who is accustomed to hurricanes after living in Florida. National Weather Service meteorologist Melissa Dye said Thursday the shift will put the Big Island and Maui 'in the thick' of the hurricane. Forecasters say Hurricane Lane has shifted course and is now moving closer to Hawaii. The airline added two additional flights from Honolulu to San Francisco on Thursday to help transport people off the islands.Īustin Seawright, right, stacks sandbags in front of a closed store in preparation for Hurricane Lane, Thursday, Aug. United Airlines cancelled its Friday flights to and from Maui. The road to Hilo was cut off due to landslides, he said. 'Our usually quiet stream is raging right now.'īeimler, who posted videos of trees being blown sideways, said staying put is about the only choice he has. 'Rain has been nonstop for the last half hour or so, and winds are just starting to pick up,' said Pablo Akira Beimler, who lives on the coast in Honokaa on the Big Island. Some areas could see up to 30 inches (about 80 centimeters) of rain. Lane was not projected to make a direct hit on the islands, but officials warned that even a lesser blow could do significant harm. Hurricane Lane continues to move northwest and tropical storm conditions were expected to reach the Big Island later Thursday morning with hurricane conditions by nightfall. 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.Įmployees of the Sheraton Waikiki fill sandbags along the beach in preparation for Hurricane Lane, Thursday, Aug. The agency says the storm has weakened to a Category 3 but can still cause major damage. 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.

#HURRICANE LANE UPDATE HAWAII NEWS NOW WINDOWS#

Stores along Waikiki's glitzy Kalakaua Avenue stacked sandbags along the bottom of their glass windows to prepare for heavy rain and flash flooding. 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. They weren't injured and were taken to a shelter, he said. Emergency workers rescued five people from a flooded house in Hilo after a nearby gulch overflowed, said Hawaii County Managing Director Wil Okabe.

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