Flood risk continues in Hawaii as North Shore residents return to destroyed homes

The already battered Hawaiian islands may face more flooding today, with a flood watch still in effect for the Big Island and a flood advisory in Maui issued through Monday afternoon

The already battered Hawaiian islands may face more flooding today, with a flood watch still in effect for the Big Island and a flood advisory in Maui issued through Monday afternoon.

The devastating “kona low,” the name for seasonal Hawaiian cyclones, continues to move across the state after causing widespread destruction in Oahu and Maui over the weekend. Possible heavy rain and isolated thunderstorms now threaten the Big Island with flooding, as an additional 1 to 2 inches of rain may come down over already saturated ground.

Several mountain locations have seen 20 to 40 inches of rain across the island chain during what has become Hawaii’s heaviest rainstorm in 20 years.

Evacuation warnings were lifted for most of the zones in Maui on Sunday, after cities such as Lahaina and Kahului received a year’s worth of rain in just a few days. Kahului has already experienced its wettest month on record with nearly 20 inches of rain.