Hawaii Braces for Hurricane Douglas; Officials Warn Shelter Space Is Limited

Residents in Hawaii filled sandbags, boarded up windows and loaded up on water, batteries and other supplies as they braced for a hit by Hurricane Douglas.

A hurricane warning was issued for the island of Oahu, where Honolulu is located.

U.S. Navy ships and submarines were sent out of Pearl Harbor and aircraft secured at nearby military bases.

All Honolulu city and county beach parks are set to close on Sunday, and several local attractions and other services will also be shut down.

Hawaiian Airlines canceled some interisland flights on Saturday and all of them on Sunday.

(MORE: Latest Forecast for Hurricane Douglas)

The state was allowing tourists required to quarantine due to COVID-19 to venture to local stores for supplies, the Honolulu Star Advertiser reported.

“I would like to remind everyone who is in quarantine that you should remain in quarantine to the extent possible,” Gov. David Ige said during a Friday afternoon news conference. “If you need supplies, please ask a friend and others to provide and help you acquire them. As a last resort, if you need to, you can break quarantine to get the needed supplies.”

Residents were told to shelter at home or with a friend rather than relying on public shelters as Hurricane Douglas churns toward the island chain.

With social distancing requirements in play because of the coronavirus pandemic, shelter space is limited.

To have 6 feet of distance between people, a shelter must allow 60 square feet of space for each person or family, Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell told the Associated Press. Before the threat of the coronavirus, he said, the city set aside 10 square feet per person at shelters.

"We need more shelter space. And with more shelter space, we need more people to staff those shelters. And we’re working on that right now," Caldwell said.

(MORE: In the Era of Coronavirus and Social Distancing, Is It Safe To Go To A Hurricane Shelter?)

Maui Emergency Management Agency administrator Herman Andaya told Hawaii News Now, "We have limited shelter space due to COVID-19 guidelines, so we are urging the public to make preparations now to possibly shelter in place at your home, or a family or friend’s home."

John Cummings, public information officer for Honolulu's Department of Emergency Management, told the Star-Advertiser people who live in older homes or those in areas prone to severe flooding or high winds should go to a public shelter.

Cummings said wellness checks will be made at the shelters to look for any signs of COVID-19.

"We have one additional resource that we did not have before and that’s because the hotels are empty," Kim told Hawaii News Now. "And that would be, for the most part, the strongest buildings on the island of Hawaii."

Caldwell said officials on Oahu have also considered using hotels that are empty because of the pandemic, but that option won't be ready in time for this weekend.

On Maui, county officials worry Douglas could bring torrential rain and damaging floods like those caused by Hurricane Olivia two years ago.

"If we had those kind of rain events like we had in 2018 on the Wailuku River, there’s no way to prepare ourselves for that, so we’ll do our best," Maui County Mayor Mike Victorino told Hawaii News Now.

Hurricane Douglas is expected to gradually weaken, but it is still likely to strike Hawaii on Sunday. Douglas, the first major hurricane of the 2020 Eastern Pacific season, could affect the entire island chain.

On Thursday, Ige issued a "pre-landfall emergency proclamation" that authorizes state funds to be released quickly for disaster relief.

"Our top priority is always the safety, health and well-being of our residents and visitors. Please take immediate steps to protect your families, loved ones, employees and property. We ask everyone to closely follow emergency instructions as we prepare for Hurricane Douglas," Ige said in a news release.

(MORE: Amid Pandemic, Nonprofits Responding to Disasters Face Volunteer, Funding Shortages)

In a letter, members of Hawaii’s congressional delegation asked President Donald Trump to provide federal assistance before Douglas makes landfall.

"Close coordination among federal, state and county officials will make it possible to have supplies, personnel and plans in place for Hurricane Douglas. Federal support is especially critical at this juncture because so many state and county emergency management and response personnel are already committed to the COVID pandemic," said the letter signed by Sens. Mazie Hirono and Brian Schatz and Reps. Tulsi Gabbard and Ed Case.

Officials have urged the state's residents to gather enough food, water, medicine and toiletries to last 14 days.

"It’s actually been easier this year because we already stocked up so much for the pandemic, so when the hurricane came, I was kind of making inventory on what we already have," Kapolei resident For Dustie Mach told Hawaii News Now.

However, tens of thousands of Hawaiians are out of work because of the pandemic, and many can't afford two weeks of supplies.

"For those you may know who can’t afford to get 14 days of food, perhaps you could offer to help," Mayor Caldwell told the Star-Advertiser. "Perhaps you can go to Costco for them and purchase food. It’s time for us to look at ourselves as one big ohana helping out each other."

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