‘Active disaster zone’: Kauai’s mayor urges visitors to stay away from North Shore amid storm recovery

KAUAʻI, Hawaiʻi (HawaiiNewsNow) — Kauaʻi officials are urging visitors to steer clear of the island’s North Shore as emergency crews work to restore power and clean up debris following recent storm damage from Lowell.

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Kauaʻi Mayor Derek Kawakami warned that the area remains unstable and poses significant safety hazards for tourists.

“The North Shore is just, it’s dangerous to be at,” Kawakami said. “I would say the North Shore is someplace that visitors should not go down because it’s an active disaster zone.”

Utility trucks, emergency personnel, and residents hauling green waste and trash have clogged local corridors.

“Even residents, I think, are avoiding it just because of the traffic nightmare,” Kawakami added.

Water conservation notices remain in effect for parts of the area while utility crews work to bring power back online.

Tourism messaging remains cautious

State tourism officials are weighing their messaging carefully to balance the island’s economic dependence on travel with community sensitivity.

According to the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority, Kauaʻi recorded 873,000 visitor arrivals and generated $1.76 billion in revenue during the first seven months of the year, prior to Lowell. While officials acknowledge substantial revenue losses are ahead, no timeline has been set for welcoming visitors back to affected communities.

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David Uchiyama, chief administrative officer for the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority, pointed to lessons learned from the August 2023 Maui disaster.

“We’re being very respectful and cautious about our approach going forward because of what we experienced with the Maui wildfires,” Uchiyama said. “So we’re very sensitive to that.”

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Lawmakers assess funding and long-term rebuilding

State Senate President Ron Kouchi, who represents Kauaʻi and Niʻihau, met Wednesday on Kauaʻi with Governor Green, Kawakami and state leaders to determine required relief funding.

Kouchi noted that while areas such as Līhuʻe and Kapaʻa may eventually be better equipped to handle visitors, the coastline remains compromised.

“When we say we’re going to reopen, we need to be clear that maybe if you’re planning to come and you’re able to go to Līhuʻe and Kapaʻa, would be able to better accommodate you as guests,” Kouchi said. “But right now, along the ocean in Poʻipū, you know, roads washed out. We’re still not ready.”

Lawmakers previously allocated $100 million into the state emergency disaster account as part of the budget, with another $1.5 billion in the state’s emergency rainy day fund. Funding requests for Kauaʻi will add to state obligations already tied to Hurricane Lala and recent Kona Low storm events.

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Kouchi estimates that full recovery could take five to 10 years.