Hurricane Safety and Preparedness

Hurricane Douglas Blows by Hawaii, Leaving Little Damage Behind

At a Glance

Douglas caused little damage as it skirted north of the Hawaiian Islands.
Fallen trees and debris caused some minor highway closures.
Airlines and shipping lines resumed normal operations Monday.

The last remaining warning was lifted early Monday, and Hurricane Douglas continued to move away from Hawaii after skirting to the north of the state overnight and leaving only minor damage.

The Central Pacific Hurricane Center said a "jog to the north" Sunday, caused by increasing wind shear and a low-level ridge, protected the islands from the strongest impacts of the storm.

The warning for the island of Kauai was dropped at 2 a.m. local time Monday.

"If we can get through this tonight and the worst that I had to do is put back everything that I had to put away, I’d say that we dodged another bullet," Kauai Mayor Derek Kawakami said Sunday night, according to Hawaii News Now.

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On Oahu, Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell said about 350 people had evacuated to shelters, 300 of whom went to the Hawaii Convention Center.

Airlines and shipping lines resumed normal operations Monday, Hawaii News Now reported.

Heavy rain and strong winds came in waves on Maui and Molokai, but there was no major damage.

"You can pretty much see clear skies. We’re so very thankful," Maui Mayor Mike Victorino told Hawaii News Now. "I’m thankful that it passed us with very little damage and very little incidents."

Only about 15 people went to evacuation shelters on Maui, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported.

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"We had a couple of scary moments when it got a little bit windy and the rain started, but it dissipated and I’m looking at blue skies," Maui resident Dawn Lono told the Star-Advertiser. "That was nothing compared to what we get sometimes; this was a blip. And our power stayed on. But we were ready and I feel really good about that. As a family we were ready and as a community we were ready."

Some trees fell across highways and Kamehameha Highway on Oahu was closed in Kaaawa because of debris on the road, according to the state Department of Transportation.

A few thousand people lost electricity when trees fell on power lines.