Overview
- Honolulu officials issued a 5:35 a.m. 'LEAVE NOW' order for Waialua and Haleiwa, with evacuations affecting roughly 4,000 to about 5,500 people downstream of the Wahiawa Dam.
- Emergency alerts said the 120‑year‑old earthen dam could fail at any time; water rose to near or above the 85‑foot concern threshold and was overtopping the spillway.
- The National Weather Service declared a rare flash flood emergency for northern Oahu as floodwaters cut off road access, and one shelter at Waialua High was evacuated and relocated.
- Rescuers conducted large‑scale operations including rooftop saves and the airlift of 72 people from a youth camp, with no deaths reported and several hospitalizations for hypothermia; the National Guard and Coast Guard were activated.
- Officials called it the worst flooding in about 20 years and warned of more heavy rain through the weekend; Gov. Josh Green said damages could exceed $1 billion as authorities continued to monitor the high‑hazard dam, long flagged for safety deficiencies and still in a pending transfer from Dole to the state.