Hawaii Dam Crisis Forces 4,000+ to Flee as Century-Old Structure Threatens to Collapse

More than 4,000 Hawaii residents received urgent evacuation orders Friday as authorities warned that a 120-year-old dam could fail amid severe flooding. Emergency officials issued "LEAVE NOW" alerts for communities downstream of the Wahiawa dam on Oahu's North Shore.

HONOLULU — Emergency officials ordered more than 4,000 Hawaii residents to immediately evacuate Friday morning as authorities warned that a century-old dam could collapse under pressure from severe flooding that has overwhelmed communities north of Honolulu.

The Wahiawa dam, constructed 120 years ago, is either failing or expected to fail imminently, prompting Honolulu authorities to issue urgent emergency alerts to residents living in downstream areas. Officials advised evacuees to share rides due to heavy traffic conditions.

Warning sirens echoed across Oahu’s renowned North Shore Friday morning as floodwaters rose, causing damage to residential properties. At 5:35 a.m., Honolulu emergency management issued an urgent “LEAVE NOW” directive for Waialua and Haleiwa communities, stating: “Extremely dangerous flooding and Wahiawa Dam is high.”

The dam has been under close surveillance since last week’s powerful storm brought torrential rainfall statewide, triggering devastating floods that destroyed roadways and homes. Weather forecasters predict another storm system, though less intense, will bring additional precipitation through the weekend.

Hawaii Governor Josh Green announced via social media that the Hawaii National Guard has been deployed to address the flooding emergency. “The storm of course is very severe right now, particularly on the northern part of Oahu,” Green stated, noting flood levels reaching chest height. “It’s going to be a very touch-and-go day.”

The National Weather Service placed most of Hawaii under flood watch conditions, with northern Oahu specifically under flash flood warnings. The agency reported “widespread life-threatening flash flooding” with Haleiwa and Waialua experiencing the most severe conditions.

Emergency crews evacuated approximately 185 people and 50 animals from a shelter at Waialua High and Intermediate School due to rising waters, according to Honolulu spokesperson Ian Scheuring. The evacuees were transported by bus to an alternative emergency facility.

Waialua resident Kathleen Pahinui, who was preparing to relocate to a friend’s residence on higher elevation, expressed her concerns about the aging infrastructure during a phone conversation with The Associated Press. “Just pray for us,” Pahinui requested. “We understand there’s more rain coming.”

The evacuation directive affects more than 4,000 individuals, though the actual number may be higher, confirmed Molly Pierce, spokesperson for the Honolulu Department of Emergency Management.

Authorities had previously issued dam warnings during last week’s heavy rainfall, but water levels dropped as precipitation decreased. “The water is actively running over the spillway right now,” Pierce explained.

According to a 2019 infrastructure assessment by the American Society of Civil Engineers, Hawaii maintains regulatory oversight of 132 dams throughout the islands, with most originally constructed to support sugar cane plantation irrigation systems.

The Ka Loko dam collapse on Kauai island in 2006 resulted in seven fatalities when the structure failed and released a deadly torrent of water downhill.