The homes of Hawaiians in the Mānoa and Palolo valleys were flooded. Homes were underwater and swept away before there were the flood sirens.
Floodings, a recurring issue in Hawaii, have affected communities across the islands over the years. From flash floods to long periods of heavy rainfall, these catastrophic floods have caused damage to homes, schools, and distorted Hawaiians’ daily lives.
Hawaii’s geography makes it extremely vulnerable to flooding: steep mountains, narrow valleys, and coasts can quickly become overwhelmed when rainstorms hit. Water flows rapidly downhill, and it often collects in low-lying areas, where flooding occurs within minutes.
However, not all floods are inescapable. Dole, the company that provides frozen treats and fruit, knew that “Wahiawā Dam could flood in heavy rainfall,” but decided to leave the dam as it was, putting thousands of people in danger, according to Civil Beat. In late March, the Wahiawā Dam flooded.
The Wahiawā Dam was created in 1906 as a place of irrigation for the Waialua Sugar Company, also known as Dole Co. The dam is legally classified as a “High hazard potential dam,” which means that if it fails it would “result in probable loss of human life,” according to the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Wailulua Sugar Company has known this since its creation over a century ago. However, they have failed to make it safer and less of a “[h]igh hazard.”
The impact this particular flood had on Hawaiians was devastating. Thousands of people were forced to leave their homes, all power was shut off, and over 1 billion dollars of damages to the community were made, according to Time.
On Hawaii News Now, 49-year-old Kevin McGuire said that he believed he was going to die because of how horrible the flooding was. Citizens are livid at the flood, they believe that all of this could have been prevented if actions had been taken for the dam before the disaster.
The Wahiawā Dam is still owned by the Waialua Sugar Company. But is in the process of giving the dam to the state. What this means is that the dam can be controlled by the government and they can make the changes to ensure another event like this doesn’t happen again.
This change will make Hawaii’s community safer and less likely for another flood like this. They will continue to rebuild their homes and stay aware.
