Hawaii residents continued recovery efforts after devastating flooding this month that officials called the worst in two decades. Powerful storms and runoff overwhelmed rivers and low-lying communities across parts of the islands, sweeping homes away, washing out roads and leaving neighborhoods buried in mud.
On the North Shore, Waialua’s Otaki camp was among the hardest hit. Residents returned to find long-treasured homes destroyed and landscapes forever altered. At one site, floodwaters pushed a duplex roughly 400 yards into a bridge, leaving only fragments of the structure and scattered belongings. Volunteers and neighbors worked to pull vehicles from thick mud and help families salvage what they could.
A family who had lived in their Otaki camp home for more than a decade described losing “12 years of memories” after the flood pushed their duplex from its foundation. “This is the worst of the worst,” one resident said as neighbors and volunteers sifted through the rubble. Many homes there had flooded several times in recent storms; earlier kona low storms had already weakened some properties.
Among those affected were Marck Aphay and Merrily Cazimero, who, despite their own losses, set about helping others. “We got to help the ones who need us,” Aphay said. Volunteers spent days clearing mud, shoveling debris and supporting neighbors whose houses were destroyed. Melanie Lee, who lived at Otaki camp for almost 20 years, said she lost decades of sentimental items, including her children’s photos, and was trying to figure out what comes next while caring for a husband recovering in rehab.
Elsewhere on the North Shore, the Lucero family returned to their stilted home to find more than a foot of water had entered their living space, soaking items that included antiques belonging to the late Lorenzo Lucero, a military veteran. “I know things are replaceable, but it’s just really hard to see this for the first time,” one family member said.
As waters began to recede, the storm’s power became more visible: cinderblock walls toppled, cars were left in precarious positions, and some two-story homes were pushed off their foundation blocks. Beachside runoff discolored water to a “chocolate milk” brown, prompting warnings that it was unsafe to swim.
Mayor Rick Blangiardi surveyed the damage from an HFD helicopter and encouraged anyone in need of help to use the city’s 311 hotline. Power outages persisted for some residents as crews worked to restore services and clear roads. Officials asked people who do not need to be in impacted areas to stay away, noting that heavy traffic has impeded heavy machinery and rescue operations; less congestion would speed recovery and rebuilding.
Health providers and volunteer clinics have been on hand to address exposure to floodwater, wound care and medication access. Community leaders and neighbors reported a strong outpouring of support: strangers brought water, food and tools, and local organizations coordinated relief and cleanup efforts.
Authorities and news outlets offered guidance on how to help. Donations, volunteer coordination and updates on relief needs were posted on local websites and news pages. Officials urged residents to follow safety guidance when returning to damaged properties, avoid standing or moving floodwater, and contact city services for assistance.
Reporting from Waialua and the North Shore underscored both the physical destruction and the community response: neighbors helping neighbors, volunteers slogging through mud to free vehicles, and families beginning the difficult process of salvaging belongings and assessing whether homes can be repaired or must be replaced. The scale of the disaster has prompted an ongoing recovery effort across the islands as residents, officials and volunteers work to rebuild.
