Hawaii assesses damage left by worst flooding in more than 20 years

People evacuated on Oahu and Maui as rains lifted houses and cars, swept through stores and left streets mud-clogged
Hawaii is coming to grips with the extensive damage left by the worst flooding the islands have seen in more than 20 years.

Over the weekend, heavy rains fell on soil already saturated by downpours from a winter storm a week ago, forcing thousands on the North Shore of Oahu to evacuate before more evacuations for parts of the island of Maui.

More than 200 people were rescued from the rising waters.

No deaths have been reported as of yet, Molly Pierce, spokesperson for Oahu’s department of emergency management, said on Sunday afternoon.

By Sunday afternoon, the worst of the storms appeared to be over, Hawaii meteorologist Matthew Foster told the Associated Press.

The weather shifted from widespread showers to scattered rain from Oahu, Maui county to Hawaii Island.

Less than 5in (13cm) of rain is expected for Hawaii Island, with between 1 to 2in in other areas.

Winds will pick up out of the north-east sides of the islands, which have more vegetation and can handle more rain, Foster said.

It will take a couple days for the moisture to push past the islands, and drier and more typical March weather can be expected by Wednesday.

Additional flooding could still occur, but more on an isolated scale rather than widespread, Foster said.

A boil water notice remained in place on Sunday for North Shore areas from Mokuleia to Turtle Bay, and residents were encouraged to report damages to the city.

Winter storm systems known as “Kona lows”, which feature southerly or south-westerly winds that bring in 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.