County of Maui urges residents to prepare for heavy rains

The National Weather Service reports the State of Hawaii will be experiencing heavy rains over the next few days. The NWS anticipates that Maui County will likely experience the greatest impacts from this storm on Sun, Dec. 5.  The County of Maui urges the public to prepare now for potential impacts from heavy rain which may include flooding, landslides and power outages.

“To all of our residents and visitors, please be especially cautious this weekend because excessive rain can cause sudden hazards,” said Mayor Michael Victorino. “Our County workers are implementing mitigation measures to lessen the threat of flash flooding and I ask the public to do the same. Please do not travel to Hana this weekend unless it is truly necessary. Roadways in and out of Hana are vulnerable to landslides and dangerous flash floods.”

Preparations by the Maui Emergency Management Agency (“MEMA”), are underway in anticipation of potential needs that may arise as a result of excessive rains.

“MEMA and our many Emergency Operations Center (“EOC”) partners are meeting to prepare for excessive rains,” said Herman Andaya, MEMA administrator. “We encourage the public to: 1. Prepare an emergency kit; 2. Review or establish a household emergency plan; and 3. Stay informed. Should you witness any damage resulting from extreme weather, please report it on our website at www.mauicounty.gov.

For detailed information on how to prepare, please visit www.mauicounty.gov/emergency.