As Kauaʻi continues to rebuild after Hurricane Lowell, HPR spoke with Senate President Ron Kouchi to hear an update on where things stand with recovery on his home island.
Kouchi was back on Oʻahu after being on Kauaʻi and is scheduled to visit Gov. Josh Green on Wednesday to survey the hardest hit areas.
Interview Highlights
On Kauaʻi's history with hurricanes
SENATE PRESIDENT RON KOUCHI: When you look at Kauaʻi, in 1982 we went through Hurricane Iwa. In 1992 we took a direct hit from a Category 4 Hurricane Iniki, and in April of 2018 we had the flooding on the North Shore where they got cut off. So this isn't, unfortunately for us, the first time to go through a disaster. And what is the most amazing thing, and I was talking to a friend of mine who's out in West Kauaʻi this morning, is that there's so many stories of unsung heroes that will never be told.
But Kauaʻi is a place where the community has come together. And much like the stories that you saw out on the North Shore of Oʻahu after the Kona low, and people were being interviewed in tears because people they didn't even know were walking into their yard to say, "How can I help you?" I liken it when I was talking to others from something Mother Teresa said: There's no quicker way to lighten your burden than by helping someone else carry theirs. And that has really been the spirit on Kauaʻi.
On Kauaʻi’s recovery after Lowell
KOUCHI: They're now saying the 20% which is primarily on the North Shore that haven't been restored, they hope in two weeks. You know, we're going from two and a half months to three weeks for the heavily impacted area, and so this is also the appropriate time to HECO, you know, to California (Power & Light), the Arizona power people who are on Kauaʻi as of Sunday and been working since yesterday, we are incredibly grateful for your support and coming to help our island.
On Niʻihau's recovery after Lowell
KOUCHI: So the best information I got is in advance of the storm, a lot of the residents came over to West Kauaʻi, where the other families are, so the full population of Niʻihau wasn't on Niʻihau when it hit, and the information from the Robinsons is that while there was damage, that everyone is OK. And as the mayor said, you know, it is private property, so until the Robinsons ask or invite us, then we need to respect their private property rights.
On assessing the damages from Hurricane Lowell and beyond
KOUCHI: Tomorrow the governor will be on Kauaʻi, and so I will be leaving Oʻahu later today to be back on Kauaʻi so I can be with him. He was there last week, and they are trying to do an assessment of what the damage cost would be. ... What we're going to meet on ... is what are we going to need for the Kona low individuals that are still impacted, and have we deployed enough resources to meet their needs? What are we going to need to continue to recover from Lala, and what are we going to need to deal with Lowell? …
We still have a lot of people affected from each of them, and I just want to assure others who have been impacted by the Kona lows or Lala that you are in the conversation that we're having, and we are aware and very cognizant that you continue to need our support.
This story aired on The Conversation on Sept. 15, 2026. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. Jinwook Lee adapted this story for the web.
