HONOLULU – Heavy rains and gusts of wind hit Maui on Sunday when Hurricane Douglas swirled off the coast of Hawaii and authorities urged residents to take refuge.
Forecasters said the Category 1 hurricane would pass near Oahu and could even cause a direct impact on the island, which is home to the largest city in the state of Honolulu.
“We remain uncomfortable near a dangerous hurricane here in the state of Hawaii,” Robert Ballard, the science and operations officer for the Central Pacific Hurricane Center, said during a conference call.
The center of Hurricane Douglas, which Ballard called a “pretty nasty hurricane,” appears to have passed within 45 miles (72 kilometers) north of Hana, Maui.
By mid-afternoon, the storm was 100 miles (160 kilometers) east of Honolulu.
Maui was projected to have the brunt of the storm before Douglas moved to Honolulu in the afternoon. Kauai would see the worst of the storm at night, possibly after dark.
Ballard said the storm was following the west-northwest over the island chain and that any variation of the closest path could lead to much worse weather. A direct hit on Oahu is still a possibility, he said.
“It probably isn’t the most likely solution right now, but when you forecast a hurricane to extend 40 miles north of Oahu, any small jog to the left will bring much worse conditions to the main Hawaiian islands.” So that’s a big concern, “he said.
Meteorologists warn that strong winds, rain and storm surge could cause damage. Douglas had maximum sustained winds of 85 mph (140 kph) in the afternoon.
Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell urged residents to take the threat seriously, saying Oahu has been lucky in recent years as the hurricanes that hit the island finally faded away. But not this time, he said.
“We are going to see strong winds and storms in parts of the island where the roads are very close to the water, where the houses are very close to the water. It could be a life-threatening event, “she said.” We don’t want to see anyone hurt or worse. ”
Duke Stevens, who lives in Hana, on the eastern edge of Maui, said there was no wind in the early afternoon and that the light rain that persistently fell during the night had decreased.
“I’ve seen a lot worse.” Said Stevens, who has lived on Maui since 1987.
Authorities on Oahu and Maui sounded emergency sirens when the rain fell and stormy winds shook the trees. Authorities urged residents to shelter-in-place or, as a last resort, to take refuge in shelters.
About 300 people were evacuated to the Hawaii Convention Center, on the outskirts of Waikiki. In Maui, 22 people were in five shelters around the island.
Evacuees were asked to bring masks and hand sanitizer along with the usual emergency supplies of food and water. People must wear face shields to be admitted, and must wear them unless they are eating, drinking, or sleeping.
State health department officials contacted each of the 625 people who were currently in isolation or quarantined as of Friday because they are COVID-19 positive or have been in contact with someone who is. All indicated that they would take refuge on the spot and would not seek refuge in a hurricane shelter.
Hawaii has one of the lowest coronavirus infection rates in the nation, but COVID-19 numbers have increased in recent weeks. For three consecutive days through Saturday, Hawaii reported record highs for recently confirmed cases.
President Donald Trump issued an emergency declaration for Hawaii due to the hurricane, ordering federal assistance to complement state and local response efforts.
Hawaiian Airlines canceled all Sunday flights between Hawaii and the US mainland, and also between the islands.
Precipitation was expected to be between 13 and 38 centimeters (5-15 inches).
Oahu, Kauai, and Maui were all under a hurricane warning, though a hurricane watch for the Big Island was canceled.
Governor David Ige said residents should already have their 14-day emergency supply kit, but due to COVID-19, he encouraged people to add masks, hand sanitizer, and sanitizing wipes.
Honolulu resident Scott Silva had supplies on hand.
“Just make sure you have enough food, you know, enough extra water, which I usually do anyway, so that’s it,” he said. “I didn’t expect too much trouble from this one.”
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AP reporters Caleb Jones in Honolulu, Mark Thiessen in Anchorage, Alaska, Brian PD Hannon in Phoenix, and Julie Walker in New York contributed to this report.
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