The Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency is asking anyone who suffered damage from the recent storm to report it to their respective counties. Officials need to determine if the estimates reach a threshold to be able to tap into federal aid.
Hawaiʻi Island and Maui took the brunt of the winds and rain. Parts of the Valley Isle are still under a water conservation advisory through Thursday. Crews are working to clear debris strewn around by strong gusts and flooded conditions.
On the Big Island, some areas saw hail. Other parts saw up to 8 inches of rain. Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense Administrator Talmadge Magno said the county is dispatching three teams to assess the damage across the island.
"We know that the Waimea, Kohala areas had heavy rains all the way down into Kailua-Kona. There was flooding throughout those areas," he said. "Wind damage seems to be focused around from Waimea to Honokaʻa on the Hamakua coast. That area sustained a lot of wind damage, dropping a lot of trees."
Efforts are still underway to clear roads of fallen trees and debris, but all highways are open.
"I think we were lucky and people were making sure that they weren't going across fast-flowing water," he added.
Report Hawaiʻi County damage | Report Maui County damage
This interview aired on The Conversation on Dec. 21, 2022. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1.
