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NEWS RELEASE: State of Hawaiʻi on Hurricane Lowell State Departments Continue to Support Residents

September 8, 2026
Categories: 
2026, 2026 Hurricane Lowell

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE       

September 8, 2026

HurricaneLowell-JIC-2026-002

HONOLULU — Hawaiʻi state agencies remain actively engaged in response efforts following Hurricane Lowell and continue to support county emergency response operations statewide, especially on Kauaʻi. 

Lowell is moving northward away from the Hawaiian Islands, but lingering tropical moisture will maintain the threat of heavy rainfall and flooding through today and potentially into Wednesday. Although winds are declining, breezy and locally gusty conditions are expected, particularly on Kauaʻi. Dangerous surf and ocean conditions also continue across portions of the state. 

Hurricane Lowell caused widespread damage to Kauaʻi’s electrical system, leaving more than 36,000 customers (households), or approximately 90% of Kauaʻi Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC) customers, without power Tuesday morning. Downed trees, utility poles and power lines have been reported across the island. KIUC crews are prioritizing damage assessments. KIUC customers without power should be prepared for extended outages as crews assess damage and begin restoring service.

As of 6:30 a.m. Tuesday, approximately 21,000 customers on Oʻahu were without power, with about 14,400 customers affected on the Leeward side and 6,600 in Windward communities. Crews are assessing storm damage and working to restore service safely, but estimated restoration times are not yet available. On Maui, crews restored power to most of the approximately 2,700 customers in the Waiehu area who lost service early Tuesday morning, with crews continuing to address smaller outages.

“People are really struggling. Keep them in your prayers, send resources and support them as you can,” said Governor Josh Green. “We’re getting people healthcare. We’re going to care for people the best way we can as we build our infrastructure back. There’s a lot of damage on Kauaʻi and it’s going to take quite some time to get back to normal. The mayors are all working together and supporting one another and we’re going to continue doing everything we can to help people recover.”

For the latest Kauaʻi County-specific updates and recovery information, visit the County of Kauaʻi’s Hurricane Lowell update page or its Facebook page.

Looking further ahead, while Hurricane Lowell continues to move away from the Hawaiian Islands, state emergency management officials are closely monitoring activity in the Eastern Pacific. Forecasters are watching two areas of potential development, including one that is expected to become a tropical depression later this week as it moves generally west-northwest. It is too early to determine whether either system poses a threat to Hawaiʻi. Residents are encouraged to remain prepared and continue monitoring official forecasts as the state remains in the heart of hurricane season (June through November).

The following are the latest updates on response efforts and impacts:

HAWAIʻI NATIONAL GUARD (HING)

As of today, the Hawaiʻi National Guard has 305 personnel positioned to support statewide response and recovery operations. 

  • O‘ahu: 144 personnel are supporting operations, including Joint Staff personnel, aviation crews and liaison officers assigned to the Honolulu Police Department operations center and the Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency’s State Emergency Operations Center.
  • Kauaʻi: 77 personnel are on Kauaʻi, along with six High Water Vehicle Teams (HWVT), liaison officers at the Kauaʻi Emergency Management Agency, a 400-gallon water trailer and a wrecker. The Governor authorized an additional 25 soldiers to support Task Force Kauaʻi yesterday.
    • HING has received requests for aerial damage assessments and is coordinating those missions based on response priorities. The Governor and adjutant general have approved the use of aviation assets once priorities are established.
  • Hawaiʻi Island: 56 National Guard personnel continue to assist Hawaiʻi County with debris clearance and recovery operations following Hurricane Lala.
  • Maui: 28 personnel and three High Water Vehicle Teams are supporting Maui County. A High Water Vehicle Team assisted Maui emergency medical personnel with transporting four civilians through high water and debris in the Olowalu area of Honoapiʻilani Highway. Guard personnel will also assist the Maui Police Department with traffic control near Olowalu, where water washed over the roadway. 

Photos and video of HING supporting storm response efforts are available here​​.

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (HDOT)

Highways 

Many traffic signals are out across Kauaʻi. Drivers should treat intersections with nonworking signals as all-way stops, come to a complete stop and proceed only when it is safe to do so. For a full list of road closures and conditions, visit hidot.hawaii.gov/weather-traffic.

Kauaʻi

  • Route 50 (Kaumualiʻi Highway) remains closed between Kala Road and Akialoa Road while crews remove remaining sand from the roadway.
  • Route 50 is clear between Puhi and Knudsen Gap, but traffic is limited to one lane near a leaning utility pole at Knudsen Gap.
  • A utility pole is blocking the eastbound lanes of Route 50 in front of Wong’s in Hanapēpē. The traffic signal at Moi Road is also out.
  • Utility poles are leaning along Route 56, but traffic can pass. Crews continue clearing downed trees from multiple locations along the route.
  • Route 550 (Waimea Canyon Drive) is blocked by a downed tree.
  • Route 560 (Kūhiō Highway) is closed in both directions near Hanalei because of downed utility poles, trees and elevated stream levels. The route is also closed at Waikoko Point because of a landslide.
  • Route 570 (Ahukini Road) is closed between Palai and Kapule because of a downed utility pole.

Route 580 (Kuamoʻo Road) is closed at mileposts 2.2 and 2.8 because of downed trees and utility lines.Maui County

  • Both lanes of Route 30 (Honoapiʻilani Highway) are open in both directions between the Lone Pine and ʻUkumehame area and Māʻalaea.
  • Route 310 (North Kīhei Road) is closed between Honoapiʻilani Highway and South Kīhei Road because of high surf.

Oʻahu

  • Pali Lookout Road is closed in both directions and the Pali Lookout remains closed until further notice.
  • Route 93 (Farrington Highway) remains closed in Nānākuli and Mākaḥa. The Māʻili section is open; alternate routes through Pāʻakea Road and Jade Street are available.

Airports

  • Līhuʻe Airport opened at 11:15 a.m. Operations may remain limited because of staffing. Travelers should confirm flight information directly with their airlines before leaving for the airport and anticipate longer-than-normal check-in processes.  
  • All other airports are operating normally.

Harbors

  • On Kauaʻi, Port Allen and Nāwiliwili harbors are closed to commercial traffic under U.S. Coast Guard Heavy Weather Port Condition Zulu. 
  • On Lāna‘i, Kaumālapaʻu Harbor is currently inoperable following damage caused by Hurricane Lowell, state officials announced Tuesday morning. Assessments are underway and officials will provide an estimated restoration schedule and determine whether alternate delivery plans are needed.
  • On Oʻahu, Honolulu Harbor and Kalaeloa Barbers Point Harbor are closed to incoming traffic unless specifically approved by the U.S. Coast Guard Captain of the Port.

Streams

  • The Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation completed clearing Mānoa Stream before Tropical Cyclone Lala. DLNR checked the stream after Lala and found it remained clear. HDOT also cleared the S-curve near the Mānoa McDonald’s last week before Hurricane Lowell.
  • ʻInaʻole Stream in Waimānalo was cleared before Tropical Cyclone Lala and remained clear before Hurricane Lowell. The stream on Sand Island was cleared last week.

HAWAIʻI TOURISM AUTHORITY (HTA)

HTA, together with its partners at the Hawai‘i Visitors and Convention Bureau and Kaua‘i Visitors Bureau, continues to support visitors currently in Hawai‘i and those with upcoming travel plans. Hotels on Kaua‘i continue to care for visitors and help them remain at their resorts while utility and road repairs continue. Hotels statewide have been working together to accommodate guests whose reservations have been canceled or changed because of the storm and its impacts.  

HTA continues to provide current information about island-specific conditions, weather-related updates and closures through GoHawaii social media channels, the GoHawaii website and app, and the 1-800-GOHAWAII call center, available from midnight to 8 p.m. HST. Visitors can also visit gohawaii.com/lowell.

Travel plans: Visitors with reservations should keep their travel plans and continue checking with their airline and accommodations for updates. Conditions and impacts vary by island. If visitors have plans to arrive on Kaua‘i in the next few days and their accommodations are no longer available, HTA recommends visiting another part of our beautiful state until Kaua‘i is fully recovered.

DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES (DHS)

DHS continues to monitor and support ongoing efforts by HIEMA and county partners to provide interim hotel accommodations for individuals on the vetted list.  

DEPARTMENT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT

DLE sheriffs are staffing Kaua‘i shelters to help with security. DLE remains on standby for any additional assistance needed by the County of Kauaʻi.

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (HIDOE)

The Hawaiʻi DOE announced that public schools in Kauaʻi County will remain closed to students through Friday, Sept. 11, as the department assesses storm impacts and prepares campuses to resume operations safely.

Department and school personnel are assessing facilities and addressing storm-related impacts, with preliminary damage reported at Kauaʻi High School and Kekaha Elementary School. Widespread power outages have limited schools’ ability to complete formal damage reports and some campuses remain difficult to access. 

Employees will receive reporting instructions directly from their supervisors and schools. All HIDOE public schools and offices on Oʻahu are expected to reopen Wednesday, Sept. 9, following Tuesday’s closure, while schools in Maui County and on Hawaiʻi Island remain open. 

UNIVERSITY OF HAWAIʻI

The Kauaʻi Community College campus will be closed for the rest of the week. Oʻahu campuses and facilities will reopen Wednesday. 

HAWAIʻI STATE PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL COMMISSION

Alakaʻi O Kauaʻi Public Charter School and Kanuikapono Public Charter School will be closed Wednesday.

Kanuikapono Public Charter School reported damage from Hurricane Lowell, including severe damage to a main utility pole that powers most of the campus and damage to several roofs. The school will remain closed until the utility pole issue is addressed and necessary repairs are made.

The commission is in communication with its six public charter schools on Kauaʻi to assess storm impacts and support recovery.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH (DOH)

Brown Water Advisories are in effect for Kauaʻi, Oʻahu and parts of Maui. DOH recommends staying out of these affected waters for 48 to 72 hours after the rain stops and the beach has received full sunshine. Even if an advisory has not been issued, if the water is brown, turn around. 

View ongoing Brown Water Advisories at eha-cloud.doh.hawaii.gov/cwb/#!/landing

Post-storm guidance: Visit the DOH hurricane preparedness page for post-storm health and safety guidance, including fact sheets in multiple languages: health.hawaii.gov/response-center/emergency/hurricane-preparedness

DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES (DLNR)

Kauaʻi

  • Port Allen Small-Boat Harbor sustained severe damage, including destroyed piers, several sunken vessels and damage to the roadway into the harbor. Several roofs at Nāwiliwili Small-Boat Harbor sustained damage; electricity remains out.
  • The following reservoirs were checked and found to have safe water levels: Wailua Reservoir, Lower Kapahulu Reservoir and Wailua House Lot Reservoir.
  • All Kauaʻi state parks remain closed until further notice, including Hāʻena State Park and the Kalalau Trail.
  • All camping areas, forests, natural area reserves and hunting lands are closed until further notice. The public is asked not to enter any park areas because of the potential for flash flooding, storm surge and other hazards.
  • Waimea State Recreational Pier sustained significant damage.
  • DLNR initiated clearing work as needed in state-owned streambeds.

Oʻahu

  • The Ala Wai Small-Boat Harbor parking lot is closed due to rocks, sand and debris covering the road. Progress is being made in clearing the areas.
  • DLNR initiated clearing work as needed in state-owned streambeds. DLNR cleared Waiawa Stream during the last week of August from the pedestrian bridge to H-1.
  • Oʻahu forests, natural area reserves and hunting lands will be open tomorrow, Wednesday, Sept. 9.  Camping and special permits remain suspended.
  • All Oʻahu state parks will reopen tomorrow, Wednesday, Sept. 9, except the Nuʻuanu Pali State Wayside, the Keawaʻula and Mākua sections of Kaʻena Point State Park, the Mokuleia permitted gate area and Wahiawa Freshwater State Recreation Area. 
  • OuterSpatial and ehawaii.gov provide the most up-to-date information about what is open and closed.

Maui County

  • No major damage has been reported at Maui’s small-boat harbors. There is one vessel aground at Mākena Beach, another capsized and aground outside Mākena, with another off of Front Street in Lahaina. No injuries have been reported and the owners are working to address each situation.
  • Kaumahina State Wayside in East Maui is closed until further notice.
  • No major damage has been reported at Mānele Small Boat Harbor on Lāna‘i.

Hawaiʻi Island

  • No major damage has been reported at Hawai‘i Island small-boat harbors.
  • Hāpuna Beach State Recreation Area, Kīholo State Park Reserve and Kekaha Kai State Park are closed because of dangerous surf conditions.
  • Camping and lodging at Kalōpā State Recreation Area and Kīholo State Park Reserve remain suspended indefinitely.

Dams

  • DLNR reports no dam safety concerns statewide. Although several Kauaʻi dams had elevated levels, all structures continue to perform as expected and water levels are leveling off or decreasing.
  • DLNR Dam Safety has contacted dam owners statewide to confirm that spillways and outlets are functioning properly and that emergency action plans are current. Dam owners are reporting water levels at least daily.
  • DLNR Dam Safety has been in contact with the Agribusiness Development Corp. about Wahiawā Dam. The AquaDam bladder has remained in place since Tropical Cyclone Lala. It raises the height of the dam embankment by 1.5 to 2 feet, increasing the dam’s capacity and helping protect the downstream slope from lower levels of overtopping.
  • Water is continually discharging from Wahiawā Dam at the maximum safe capacity and levels are trending downward. As of early Tuesday morning, the water level was 71.86 feet and decreasing.
  • Water levels for Wahiawā Dam are publicly available through USGS Data and the Hohonu Dashboard. 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND BIOSECURITY (DAB)

Agricultural damage assessments are underway on Kauaʻi; the full extent of impacts to farms and ranches may not be known for several days. DAB is working to identify resources to support agricultural recovery and is reaching out to livestock producers and farmers to provide water assistance where possible.

As recovery efforts move forward, DAB will work closely with federal partners and the Office of the Governor to identify and pursue available financial assistance and other resources for affected farmers and ranchers.

DEPARTMENT OF HAWAIIAN HOMELANDS (DHHL)

In anticipation of Tropical Cyclone Lowell, the DHHL Kaua‘i District Office proactively identified and cleared potential flooding areas within the Hanapēpē homestead.

The DHHL initiated communication with homestead leaders as the storm approached. Some reported fallen trees, blocked roads and exterior damage to homes Tuesday morning. DHHL will conduct on-the-ground assessments for Kaua‘i homesteads in the coming days. 

Statewide evaluations will be conducted as needed.

DHHL will continue to closely monitor developments as they unfold across the pae ʻāina and stands ready to deploy additional support and resources to affected areas.

DEPARTMENT OF ACCOUNTING AND GENERAL SERVICES (DAGS)

DAGS Kauaʻi District Office is inspecting DAGS-managed facilities and Department of Education schools as road access allows. Crews are assessing facilities for debris, downed trees and wind and water damage in preparation for the reopening of state office buildings.

The Office of Enterprise Technology Services (ETS) is resuming normal operations while continuing to support major and critical information technology infrastructure serving state government. 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS (DCCA)

Residents are encouraged to know what their insurance policies cover so they can recover losses efficiently after the storm passes.

  • Keep copies of property, flood and auto insurance policies — in a waterproof folder or secure digital storage.
  • Create a home inventory: photos/videos of furniture, appliances and valuables.
  • Save receipts for high-value items.
  • NFIP policyholders: start a claim at FloodSmart.gov/recover/start-a-claim
  •  Private flood insurance: contact your carrier or agent directly.
  • For homeowners/condo/renters claims, once safe:
    • Document damage with clear photos and videos.
    • Secure property from further damage; keep receipts for repair materials used.
    • Contact your insurer/agent to file a claim and follow their claims procedure.
    • Do not begin permanent repairs until an adjuster inspects or the insurer approves.
    • Be cautious of contractor scams — never sign your entire claims check over to a contractor.
  • Auto claims: contact your insurer to file. If the vehicle is drivable, get repair estimates; if not, follow total-loss procedures with your adjuster.

The Hawaiʻi Insurance Division has resources available online, including My Insurance Doesn’t Cover What?, Flood Insurance Basics, and Storm Claims Guides. If you need additional assistance, contact DCCA at 1-844-808-DCCA (3222) or visit cca.hawaii.gov/ins.

HAWAI‘I STATE ENERGY OFFICE (HSEO) 

Power restoration crews across Kaua‘i are experiencing access challenges due to road closures, blockages and debris. 

HSEO is coordinating with KIUC to support requests for additional crews and equipment and gathering outage data from both utilities to support SNAP food replacement benefits. Additional response efforts include coordinating helicopter refueling and mobilizing federal ESF-12 support for the Kaua‘i Emergency Operations Center.

HAWAIʻI STATE PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM

On Maui, Kīhei Public Library is closed today and the scheduled Maui Holoholo Bookmobile visit to Lāhainā District Court has been canceled. All public programs on Kaua‘i through Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, are canceled. Check librarieshawaii.org for updates.

DEPARTMENT OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL (AG)

Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA) clients on the island of Kaua‘i may manage their cases and continue to make payments through the CSEA mobile app, CSEA Hawai‘i. Visit https://ag.hawaii.gov/csea/ for more details.

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MEDIA CONTACT:

Joint Information Center
Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency
State of Hawaiʻi