HONOLULU — The City and County of Honolulu is activating its broad array of resources in advance of the third Kona low storm in as many weeks and coordinating closely with state and federal partners to ensure a fast and effective response to assist residents who may be impacted by severe weather.
Emergency Operations Center
The Department of Emergency Management’s Emergency Operations Center will be fully activated beginning Wednesday morning, April 8, to coordinate operations across Oʻahu.
First Responder Agencies
First responders and City personnel will be pre-deployed to areas known to be vulnerable to flooding and storm impacts, allowing for quicker response if conditions worsen.
• Honolulu Police Department (HPD) is deploying additional personnel around the clock to support field operations. A forward command post will be established in Wahiawā to support operations in Waialua and Haleʻiwa, with officers pre-positioned for evacuations, traffic control, and public safety.
• Honolulu Fire Department (HFD) is staging rescue crews, with contingency plans in place to support command, logistics, and field operations as conditions change.
• Honolulu Emergency Services Department (EMS and CORE) is expanding to 24-hour operations, increasing staffing levels, and adding ambulances to support island-wide coverage. Specialized assets including a high-water rescue vehicle and a mass casualty unit are ready for deployment, with resources pre-positioned to ensure rapid response across all communities.
• Honolulu Ocean Safety Department (HOSD) will maintain lifeguard tower operations during the day, with continuous monitoring of ocean and weather conditions. Mobile response units equipped with rescue watercraft, ATVs, and other equipment will be deployed island-wide, with personnel and equipment pre-staged overnight to ensure immediate response capability.
Emergency Shelters
The City will open emergency shelters on Wednesday, April 8, with exact opening times to be announced. All are pet friendly.
Wai‘anae District Park
85-601 Farrington Highway, Waiʻanae
Mānoa Valley District Park
2721 Kaaipu Ave, Mānoa
Kāne‘ohe District Park
45-660 Keaʻahala Rd, Kāne‘ohe
George Fred Wright Wahiawā District Park
1139 Kilani Ave, Wahiawā
For a link to the shelters, click here. Additional shelters will be opened as needed.
Community Assistance Center Closure
The Waialua Community Assistance Center will be closed due to the potential for severe weather from Wednesday, April 8 – Friday, April 10.
Storm Preparations
City crews were dispatched across Oʻahu to clear streams, canals, and waterways, to ensure rainwater and runoff can flow as freely as possible. In some areas, crews used shovels to remove sand. In other areas, heavy equipment was used.
The Department of Parks and Recreation also delivered loads of sand to a lot across from Saint Michael Parish and School in Waialua so people could fill sandbags ahead of the storm.
Debris Collection Update
The pile of storm debris that was mostly hauled out of Waialua by dedicated, generous, and hardworking commercial haulers from the community is steadily being removed at Patsy T. Mink Central Oʻahu Regional Park (CORP). To date, more than 2,352 tons have been hauled out of the Temporary Debris Storage/Reduction Site (TDSR), which is 4.7 million pounds of debris.
Neighborhood Board Meeting Cancelations
All Neighborhood Board meetings from Tuesday, April 7, 2026 to Thursday, April 9, 2026 are canceled ahead of the potential severe weather.
Stay Alert and Stay Informed
Residents are reminded to call 9-1-1 only for life-threatening emergencies. For non-emergency concerns, residents should use HNL311 via the mobile app or online at hnl.info/hnl311. Residents are encouraged to stay connected through HNL Alert by visiting www.hnlalert.gov or by texting HNLALERT to 888-777 to receive urgent emergency notifications directly to their phones.
