Severe Flooding and Risk of Wahiawa Dam Failure Prompt Evacuation of Thousands on Oahu, Hawaii

Severe flooding and the threat of dam failure have prompted evacuation orders for thousands of residents on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, following intense rainfall over the past week. Emergency officials issued evacuation notices for more than 5,000 people living downstream of the Wahiawa dam, a 120-year-old earthen structure considered vulnerable due to its age and condition. The dam, owned by the Dole Food Company, has been under scrutiny for over a decade for its deficiencies, and recent heavy rains have raised concerns about its potential failure.

The Wahiawa dam, which holds back irrigation water in Lake Wilson, is 660 feet long and equipped with a 183-foot-wide spillway. It can contain up to 9,200 acre-feet of water, equivalent to roughly 4,600 Olympic-sized swimming pools. Officials reported that water was flowing over the dam’s spillway, and while it was unclear whether the dam faced imminent failure or just overtopping, the risk was significant enough to prompt urgent evacuation orders for the towns of Waialua and Haleiwa. Molly Pierce, a spokesperson for the Oahu Department of Emergency Management, noted that about 4,000 people were directly within the evacuation zone, with additional residents affected by local flooding.

Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi described the damage from the flooding as “catastrophic,” with dozens, possibly hundreds, of homes damaged or destroyed. Emergency crews conducted air and water searches for stranded residents, although efforts were complicated by the presence of personal drones flying over the flood zones. The National Guard and Honolulu Fire Department airlifted 72 children and adults from a spring break youth camp located on higher ground in west Oahu, as floodwaters had cut off access to the retreat. Statewide, most areas were under flood watch, with flash flood warnings issued for parts of northern Oahu.

The flooding follows a series of storms that have dumped heavy rain across Hawaii, including a recent kona storm that brought more than five feet of rain to parts of Maui. The ground remained saturated from previous rainfall, reducing absorption and exacerbating runoff and flooding. Hawaii Governor Josh Green activated the National Guard and closed state offices to allow families to focus on safety. He urged residents in affected areas to evacuate immediately and highlighted the ongoing threat posed by the dam and continued rainfall. While water levels at the Wahiawa dam appeared to be falling by Friday afternoon, meteorologists warned that additional rain could renew the threat. The flooding crisis in Hawaii comes amid a period of extreme and varied weather across the United States, including heatwaves, wildfires, and heavy snow in other regions.