Hawaii Island Residents Prepare for Hurricane Nolo as Dangerous Flooding Threatens

HAWAII ISLAND, Hawaii — Residents across Hawaii Island are preparing for Hurricane Nolo as the storm strengthens south of the Big Island and threatens to bring potentially catastrophic and life-threatening flooding.

As Nolo approaches, county crews have opened sandbag-filling stations and emergency shelters, while residents are taking steps to protect their homes and businesses.

At Nāʻālehu Elementary School, the American Red Cross and Hawaii County have established a shelter and are providing transportation from Nāʻālehu to Pāhala for residents who want to get to a safer location ahead of the storm.

The preparation comes as officials warn of significant rainfall across Hawaii Island.

The National Hurricane Center said Hurricane Nolo could produce heavy rainfall over the Big Island for several days, with catastrophic and life-threatening flash flooding possible into the weekend.

Residents Fill Sandbags Ahead of Storm

In Hilo and other communities, residents have been filling sandbags provided by the county.

Ricky Carvalho, a Hawaii Island resident, said the sandbags could help protect his property from rising water.

“Yeah, we're getting ready, filling sandbags,” Carvalho said. “The water is going to guarantee to come in and this helps out a lot right here.”

Carvalho said he has used the sandbag station before when storms threatened the area.

“It helps, you know, it keeps the water from not coming in and ruining everything,” he said.

Officials Urge Residents to Prepare Now

Hawaii County Mayor Kimo Alameda said residents have reason to be concerned following previous storms that caused significant damage, particularly in southern Hawaii Island.

“There is some anxiety,” Alameda said. “However, our job as government is to provide as much information as timely as possible to let people know that we are prepared and we got their backs.”

Alameda said the county's decision to close schools and county operations, except for emergency personnel, was intended to give residents additional time to prepare.

“We want the residents to know that this is your time to prepare,” Alameda said.

The county has opened multiple refuge areas on Hawaii Island, including Nāʻālehu Elementary School, Robert N. Herkes Gym in Pāhala and other locations across the island. Additional shelters opened Friday morning as the storm approached.

The state also announced closures of public schools and some state and county offices on Hawaii Island as officials prepared for Nolo's impacts.

Hurricane Nolo Strengthens

Nolo strengthened into a hurricane Thursday, with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center. At the time of the advisory, the storm was about 270 miles south of South Point and moving north-northeast at about 5 mph.

Forecasters are warning that rainfall could be particularly dangerous because parts of Hawaii Island were already heavily impacted by flooding from Hurricane Lala in August.

Current forecasts call for 15 to 30 inches of rain across Hawaii Island, with locally higher totals possible. The rainfall could trigger flash flooding and mudslides, particularly in steep terrain.

Officials are urging residents to complete preparations before conditions deteriorate and to continue monitoring official weather and emergency alerts.

For the latest shelter information and emergency updates, residents can check Hawaii County and Hawaii News Now resources.