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The fear of the imminent rupture of the Wahiawa dam, a structure built in 1906 on the north coast of Oahu island, in Hawaii, forced the immediate evacuation of more than four thousand residents after heavy rains that caused flooding and damage to homes and access roads, according to the international news agency The Associated Press.
Local authorities warned that the dam, classified with "high potential for danger", faces a risk of collapse due to soil saturation and the forecast of new rainfall, which represents a direct threat to those who live downstream.
The situation worsened in the early hours of the morning when extreme rainfall deposited between twenty and thirty centimeters of water in different areas of Oahu, leaving neighborhoods cut off and homes displaced from their foundations.The Honolulu Fire Department, represented by Ian Scheuring, deployed rescue teams and lifeguards on jet skis to locate trapped individuals. So far, authorities have not reported any fatalities or injuries, but the alert level remains high.
As an immediate measure, emergency sirens sounded in the coastal area of Oahu from 5:35 a.m., and residents located downstream of the Wahiawa Dam received the mandatory evacuation order.We recommend reading: "Demolition Brothers": explosive action and comedy set in Hawaii
Molly Pierce, spokesperson for the Honolulu Emergency Management Department, specified that: “The water is actively flowing over the spillway at this moment”, a sign of the pressure the structure is under.
The torrential rains that affected the island of Oahu overnight from Thursday to Friday forced the local government to evacuate more than four thousand residents due to the risk of collapse of the Wahiawa dam, as confirmed by the Honolulu Department of Emergency Management. The dam, classified as "high-hazard potential" infrastructure, could give way due to water accumulation and ground saturation, endangering the lives of thousands of people. Rescue teams are working to assist the affected population, while authorities maintain the alert for new rainfall that could worsen the situation.The Challenge of Ancient Dams in Hawaii
The Wahiawa Dam, built in 1906 and rebuilt in 1921, has not received key updates since 2009 (Video capture) The safety of dams in the Hawaiian archipelago has come under scrutiny again after it was revealed that the Wahiawa Dam was last rebuilt in 1921, following a collapse, and has not received the updates recommended by the state government since 2009, according to data from the local investigative media outlet Honolulu Civil Beat. The structure was originally designed to supply water to the crops of the Waialua Agricultural Company, the predecessor of Dole Food Company. Although Dole Food Company committed in recent years to transfer ownership of the dam to the State of Hawaii, the operation remains pending, which prevents the execution of investments exceeding USD 20 million considered essential to ensure the safety of the reservoir and prevent flooding. Faced with the emergency, Hawaii Governor Josh Green announced via social media that the Hawaii National Guard was deployed in the most affected areas, mainly in northern Oahu, where he described the phenomenon with water levels that reached the chest of some residents. The National Weather Service maintains the flood alert in much of the state and warns of the risk of flash floods in areas such as Haleiwa and Waialua, where the displacement of inhabitants is mandatory to avoid tragedies. The Wahiawa Dam, according to state records, represents a high risk of human casualties in the event of structural failure. Recent rains have saturated the ground: the summit of Ka’ala, the highest point on Oahu, recorded nearly 40 centimeters of rainfall in the last 24 hours, to which are added the 67.6 centimeters accumulated between March 10 and 16, according to the National Weather Service.You can also read:Shohei Ohtani and his agent face lawsuit for alleged interference in $240 million real estate project in Hawaii
Isolated Communities and Widespread Evacuation
More than 185 people and 50 pets were evacuated in Waialua due to flood threats, as the weather alert continues (Video capture) On Friday, around 185 people and 50 pets had to be relocated from a school in Waialua to another shelter, after being threatened by the rising water. Molly Pierce confirmed that the evacuation order affects more than four thousand residents of Oahu. In statements collected by The Associated Press, Kathleen Pahinui, a resident of Waialua, expressed her constant concern about the rain forecast: “Pray for us. We know more rain is expected.” In the neighboring island of Maui, some neighborhoods in Lahaina received precautionary evacuation notices due to the critical increase in water retention deposits. This sector faces a special vulnerability since the devastating fire that ravaged a large part of the town in 2023, according to Maui County authorities. The meteorological phenomenon responsible is known as “Kona low”, a storm system characterized by humid winds from the south or southwest, which in recent weeks has caused heavy rains, hailstorms, and new episodes of flooding in the Hawaiian islands.Background and Unheeded Warnings
Hawaii has 132 dams under state regulation, most built during the sugar industry boom, notes a 2019 report by the American Society of Civil Engineers, the national engineering guild. The current episode revives the memory of the collapse of the Ka Loko dam in 2006, on the island of Kauai, which caused the death of seven people after the uncontrolled passage of a mass of water. State authorities have warned Dole Food Company for more than fifteen years about the urgent need to modernize Wahiawa's infrastructure.We recommend reading:The tsunami reaches the coast of California while the alert is deactivated in Hawaii
In a statement reported by The Associated Press, the company assured it was "working closely with the authorities to monitor the dam." In addition, it added that: "The dam continues to operate as designed, with no signs of damage."State Sen. Brenton Awa, a Republican representing North Oahu, described to The Associated Press the situation of the community, known worldwide for surfing and tourism, as severely isolated: “Right now, it's a community in isolation. They're cut off.”
The weather forecast anticipates that a new storm, although of lesser intensity, could affect the region during the weekend. Aging infrastructure and a population that has faced successive emergencies in recent years increase current vulnerability.
