Oʻahu Under Emergency Proclamation as Severe Weather Disrupts City Services
HONOLULU – A state of emergency is in effect for the City and County of Honolulu as severe weather conditions prompt the closure of non-essential government offices and services through . Mayor Rick Blangiardi issued the emergency proclamation on , citing ongoing severe weather and potential threats to public health and safety.
The order mandates that non-essential City and County of Honolulu personnel refrain from reporting to work on . A memorandum detailing the directive was signed by Mayor Blangiardi on afternoon and distributed to department and agency leaders.
This action builds upon earlier announcements regarding the closure of numerous public outdoor facilities, including the Honolulu Zoo, botanical gardens, and municipal golf courses, also extending through at least . Overnight camping at all City and County of Honolulu campgrounds has been suspended since , with the closure lasting through .
The gymnasium at Bill Balfour Jr. Waipahū District Park has been repurposed to provide shelter for participants in the H.O.N.U. (Homeless Outreach and Navigation for the Unsheltered) program, ensuring their safety during the inclement weather. The closure of the gymnasium to the general public began on .
Residents and visitors are advised to anticipate significant disruptions to transportation networks across the island. Potential issues include road closures, traffic signal outages, and delays in public transit. While Skyline will continue to operate as scheduled, TheBus and TheHandi-Van services may be temporarily suspended due to worsening conditions and unsafe wind speeds for operating high-profile vehicles.
The emergency proclamation comes as Hawaii officials urge residents to take precautions amid continuing heavy rain and flash flooding across the state. Governor Josh Green and other officials have emphasized the importance of preparedness in the face of the severe weather.
The Hawaii Department of Health continues to monitor COVID-19 data and provide updates through its interactive dashboards. As of , immunization recommendations for the respiratory virus season have been issued in collaboration with the West Coast Health Alliance (WCHA). Information regarding COVID-19 variants, clusters in long-term care facilities, and breakthrough cases is also available through the Department of Health’s reports.
Hospitalization metrics across the state are being tracked, with data sourced from the Hawaii Hospital Capacity System, which provides near real-time information on hospital bed capacity and COVID-19 census and admissions trends. As of , this system provides up-to-date information on the state’s hospital capacity.
Additional data dashboards are available from the Hawaii Department of Health, covering mortality rates, race/ethnicity data, vaccine summary information, travel data related to new cases, and investigation summaries detailing the Department’s efforts to reach newly reported cases. Archived dashboards are also accessible for historical data.
