Hurricane Lane Damage to County Infrastructure Estimated at $20M

The damage to Hawaii County facilities from the flooding caused by Hurricane Lane‘s torrential rains totaled about $20 million, an official said.

The figure is only for county infrastructure and doesn’t include damage to state infrastructure such as schools and highways, county Managing Director Wil Okabe said Thursday.

A damaged culvert adjacent to the county’s Mohouli Park in Hilo alone is estimated to cost $400,000, Okabe said.

Assessments also found 152 homes damaged, with 29 sustaining major damage, he said. None were destroyed.

An estimated 30 businesses also reported damage from Lane’s flooding.

Hurricane Lane dumped as much as 50 inches (127 centimeters) of rain in some areas of east Hawaii when it battered the state last month, the Hawaii Tribune-Herald reported .

The county is still cleaning up its flooded facilities.

On Thursday, the county said the Department of Parks and Recreation would close Coconut Island in Hilo so maintenance personnel can remove debris left behind by the hurricane.

Lane was the nation’s second rainiest tropical cyclone since 1950.

Gov. David Ige asked President Donald Trump earlier this month to declare a major disaster for Hawaii as a result of the effects from Lane.

“The magnitude and severity of the disaster requires federal assistance,” Ige said in a statement announcing his request. “This exceeds the state’s response capability, and it has impacted local governments.”

The Federal Emergency Management Agency will reimburse the state and county 75 percent for damage to public infrastructure from a declared disaster.