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U.S. NEWS Thursday 23 augusT 2018

Hurricane sends people in Hawaii hurrying to buy supplies

By JENNIFER SINCO KELLE- ricane could cause cata-
HER strophic damage.
Associated Press Residents rushed to stores
HONOLULU (AP) — Hurri- to stock up on bottled wa-
cane Lane has weakened ter, ramen, toilet paper
as it approaches Hawaii and other supplies as they
but was still expected to faced the threat of heavy
pack a wallop, forecast- rain, flash flooding and high
ers said Wednesday, as surf.
people hurried to buy wa- Public schools on the Big
ter and other supplies and Island and in Maui County
the Navy moved its ships to closed Wednesday until
safety. further notice.
The National Weather Ser- Hawaii Gov. David Ige said
vice said tropical-storm- employees on Hawaii and
force winds could begin as Maui islands who work in di-
early as Wednesday after- saster response as well as in
noon on the Big Island. hospitals and prisons were
"We're planning on board- required to report to their
ing up all our windows and jobs.
sliding doors," Napua Puaoi Puaoi said Home Depot
of Wailuku, Maui, said after opened at 6 a.m., and em-
buying 16 pieces of ply- ployees reported there was
wood from Home Depot. already a line around the
"As soon as my husband building.
comes home — he has all "We are fully stocked," she
the power tools." said. "We have about nine
The hurricane was about cases of water because
305 miles (490 kilometers) we're having family stay
south of Kailua-Kona and with us as well, so one case
moving northwest toward per person."
other islands. The U.S. Navy was moving
Meteorologist Chevy Che- its ships and submarines
valier in Honolulu said its out of Hawaii. All vessels
winds had slowed overnight not currently undergoing
from 160 mph to 155 mph maintenance were being
(259 to 250 kph), prompt- positioned to help respond
ing a downgrade from a after the storm, if needed.
Category 5 to a Category Navy aircraft will be kept in
4 hurricane. hangars or flown to other Loren, right, and Ruby Aquino, of Honolulu, load water into their car ahead of Hurricane Lane,
He said it may drop to a airfields to avoid the storm. Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2018 in Honolulu.
Category 3 by Thursday af- The central Pacific gets Associated Press
ternoon but that would still fewer hurricanes than oth-
be a major hurricane. er regions, with about only He also said upper level side, not properly secured," Iniki devastated the island.
"We expect it to gradually four or five named storms winds, called shear, tend to she said. "If the wind was He recalled that Iniki's turn
weaken as it gets closer to a year. Hawaii rarely gets be strong enough to tear to hit us, we'll have a lot of into the islands was sudden.
the islands," Chevalier said. hit. The last major storm to storms apart. damage." "I remember how very little
"That being said, on our hit was Iniki in 1992. Others Puaoi said the last time her She was 12 when Iniki hit. rain fell. But I remember the
current forecast, as of the have come close in recent family boarded up the win- "When it did happen, I just wind being the strongest
afternoon on Thursday, we years. dows of their home was in remember, pandemonium, force of nature I've ever
still have it as a major hur- "Winds tend to steer storms 1992 during Hurricane Iniki. it was all out craziness," she witnessed and probably
ricane." away from there," said "We have neighbors all said. the scariest sounds I've ever
With winds anticipated to Princeton University climate around our house and a lot Kauai resident Mike Miran- heard in my life," he said.q
130 mph (209 kph), the hur- scientist Gabe Vecchi. of their items are just out- da was 12 when Hurricane