Hawaiʻi Faces Approximately $1 Billion in Disaster Recovery and Resilience Needs

Four major disasters in six months have created approximately $1 billion in damage, recovery costs and future resilience needs across Hawaiʻi. The March Kona Low storms, May 22 magnitude 6.0 Hawaiʻi Island earthquake, Hurricane Lala and Hurricane Lowell affected communities statewide and placed extraordinary pressure on homes, public infrastructure and essential services.

Current estimates and recovery commitments reported by state agencies total approximately $686 million. This includes $463.6 million connected to the Kona Low storms, at least $1.5 million from the Hawaiʻi Island earthquake, approximately $108 million from Hurricane Lala and approximately $112.4 million from Hurricane Lowell. These figures remain preliminary as damage assessments and federal eligibility reviews continue. Residential, agricultural, utility and business losses have not been fully calculated.

Across the four disasters, 1,290 homes were affected, including 74 destroyed, 451 with major damage, 514 with minor damage and 251 otherwise affected. The Kona Low storms affected 463 homes and damaged 54 public schools. The storms also forced the temporary closure of Kula Hospital, which the state has committed $65 million to help restore and reopen.

The Hawaiʻi Island earthquake affected 313 homes, including 18 destroyed and 92 with major damage. Hurricane Lala damaged 267 homes and caused significant damage in Kaʻū, where work continues to repair infrastructure, support families and respectfully recover iwi disinterred by flooding at Nāʻālehu Cemetery. Hurricane Lowell affected 247 homes on Kauaʻi, including 10 destroyed and 67 with major damage, while damaging roads, schools, utilities and harbors across Kauaʻi
and Maui counties.

State agencies and the Hawaiʻi National Guard have conducted rescues, evacuations, wellness checks, debris removal, water and meal distribution, medical transportation and infrastructure restoration throughout the disasters. The Department of Human Services issued approximately $18.9 million in replacement Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits to more than 65,000 households following Lala and another $1.4 million to more than 3,700 households following Lowell.

Beyond immediate recovery, the state has identified at least $319 million in proposed resilience and mitigation projects. These include modernizing the State Emergency Operations Center, hardening Honolulu Harbor, studying a potential alternate port, establishing community resilience hubs, installing airport generators and funding additional disaster mitigation projects.

Potential funding sources include federal disaster assistance, state insurance, legislative appropriations, rainy day funds and Green Fee revenue. Hawaiʻi will continue pursuing every available resource while working with county and federal partners to restore damaged communities and strengthen critical infrastructure. Recovery and resilience efforts must move forward together so the state is better prepared for any disasters ahead.