Hurricane Douglas did not weaken as expected.
A reporter from AP asked why it appears that people in Hawaii are not taking Hurricane Douglas seriously.
Mayor Caldwell said Hawaii was spared for more than 8 years from a serious hurricane, and people may have gotten too comfortable to understand the seriousness of this storm. Honolulu Mayor Caldwell wants everyone to understand that the impact of the imminent hurricane will be felt in hours. “This is a serious, serious storm.”
Hawaii Governor Ige enforced this message in saying, Douglas did not weaken as expected. It remains a dangerous category one hurricane.
The Hawaii Tourism Authority did not attend the meeting, so it was not clear how many tourists are currently under mandatory quarantine in their hotel rooms. Visitors in Quarantine were allowed to shop for necessary groceries and medications in preparation for the approaching hurricane.
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Hawaii Governor Ige and Mayor Kirk Caldwell along with the three other mayors addressed Hawaii residents and visitors at 11.30 am this morning. The Island of Hawaii was spared, but the storm will have an imminent impact on Maui, Oahu, and overnight on the Island of Kauai.
FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency confirmed all their resources are in place.
Based on the 11 a.m. forecast from the Central Pacific Hurricane Center, Hurricane Douglas continues to present a significant threat to Oahu. In order to ensure everyone is aware and to emphasize the seriousness of the threat, the City will be sounding the outdoor warning siren at 12 p.m. Sirens will sound a steady tone for 3 minutes.
Mayor Caldwell met with staff this morning as the City and County of Honolulu Emergency Operations center began 24 Hours operations ahead of possible impacts from Hurricane Douglas. O‘ahu residents are asked to prepare for strong winds, dangerous surf, heavy rainfall, and potential flooding the next 24 hours.
O‘ahu remains under a hurricane watch this morning with maximum sustained winds of 90 mph.
Maui’s concern is Hana and the Island of Molokai.
Airports will remain to be open in the State of Hawaii with some airlines operating transpacific flights to the US mainland.
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President Donald J. Trump declared that an emergency exists in the State of Hawaii and ordered Federal assistance to supplement State and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from Hurricane Douglas beginning on July 23, 2020, and continuing.
The President’s action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in the counties of Hawaii, Kauai, and Maui and the City and County of Honolulu.
Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency. Emergency protective measures, limited to direct Federal assistance and reimbursement for mass care including evacuation and shelter support will be provided at 75 percent Federal funding.
