Governor Josh Green submitted an expedited request to the President for a major disaster declaration for the State of Hawaiʻi on September 9, 2026, following the impact of Hurricane Lowell. The request, citing unusual severity and magnitude, seeks federal assistance for the counties of Kauaʻi and Maui.
According to the request, Hurricane Lowell impacted the state from September 6 through September 8, 2026. In Kauaʻi County, the Kauaʻi Island Utility Cooperative reported that approximately 90 percent of its members, or about 33,000 out of 36,000 accounts, experienced an outage during the storm. Additionally, the request noted that Līhuʻe Airport was operating on generator backup with reduced staffing, and Port Allen Harbor remained closed at Condition ZULU. Sustained winds reached 87 miles per hour at Nāwiliwili and 84 miles per hour at Līhuʻe, while rainfall reached 17 inches at higher elevations.
The request highlights the loss of Kaumalapaʻu Harbor, which serves as the sole commercial cargo access for Lānaʻi. The harbor is currently closed at Condition ZULU and is described as inoperable. The Governor stated that the loss of this single-point-of-failure facility is a categorical loss of access for the island's approximately 3,000 residents who depend on it for food, fuel, and medical supplies.
The Governor noted that the state's capacity is currently strained as it manages recovery from three prior federally declared events within approximately six months: the March 2026 Kona Low storms, the May 22, 2026 Kona earthquake, and Hurricane Lala. The request includes a request for Public Assistance, Individual Assistance, the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, and U.S. Small Business Administration Physical and Economic Injury Disaster Loans for Kauaʻi and Maui counties.
The State Emergency Operations Center is at full activation. The request designates David A. Lopez, Administrator of the Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency, as the State Coordinating Officer and the Governor’s Authorized Representative.
