Over 5,500 told to evacuate flooding in Hawaii as officials warn 120-year-old dam could fail
Streets are flooded from severe rains, Friday, March 20, 2026, in Haleiwa, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)
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 Friday morning to leave the area downstream of Wahiawa dam — long known to be vulnerable — saying it was “at risk of imminent failure."
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