By Peter John
Thousands of people in Hawaii have been told to evacuate their homes as the US state suffered its worst flooding in decades.
More than 230 people have been rescued so far, Blangiardi told a news conference on Friday. Heavy rains continued to fall on the archipelago in the early hours of Saturday morning.
It is the second severe storm to hit the archipelago in the last week, causing damage that could exceed $1 billion (£745m), according to Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi.
Rising floodwaters lifted homes and cars and triggered evacuation orders for some 5,500 people north of the state’s capital city, Honolulu. Roads have been closed across the islands.
The authorities warned that a dam in Oahu, the state’s most populous island, was at risk of collapse. Blangiardi urged residents to “stay safe” and “take the storm as seriously as you can”.
Speaking at the news conference on Friday, Governor Josh Green said there had been no reported fatalities in the storms, and praised the emergency workers working to keep people safe.
Honolulu Department of Emergency Management has issued multiple flash flood warnings and urged residents to move to higher ground and avoid flooded areas.
Flood watch warnings have also been issued for Maui, Molokai and The Big Island.
Green said the storm would have a “serious consequence for us as a state” because it had caused enormous damage to airports, schools, roads and hospitals, as well as people’s homes.
“This is the largest flood that we’ve had in Hawaii in 20 years,” he told the news
