Over 4,000 told to evacuate flooding in Hawaii as officials warn 120-year-old dam could fail [View all]

Source: AP via NPR

HONOLULU (AP) — Muddy floodwaters from severe rains inundated streets, pushed homes off their foundations, swallowed vehicles and prompted evacuation orders for thousands of residents in towns north of Honolulu on Friday as officials warned of the possible failure of a 120-year-old dam.

Emergency sirens blared along Oahu's North Shore, where rising waters damaged homes in a community world-renowned for its surfing. Honolulu officials told residents at 5:35 a.m. Friday to leave the area downstream of Wahiawa dam, saying it was "at risk of imminent failure."

There were no immediate reports of deaths or injuries, but firefighters and lifeguards on jet skis were searching flood waters for people who had been stranded, said Ian Scheuring, a spokesperson for Honolulu.

"We do have reports of homes being swept away," he said. But the agency doesn't know how many. The evacuation order asked fleeing residents to carpool because of heavy traffic.

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Read more: https://www.npr.org/2026/03/20/nx-s1-5755105/hawaii-evacuations-flooding-dam-failure