Big Island County Closes All Storm Shelters as Residents Return Home

All emergency shelters opened across Hawaiʻi Island in response to the Kona low storm have closed at 4 p.m., the county announced, as residents begin returning home following days of heavy rainfall, high winds, and widespread closures that brought much of Big Island County to a standstill.

The American Red Cross specifically announced the closure of shelters at Waikoloa Elementary and Middle School, the Naalehu Elementary Gym, and the Naalehu Community Center following the passage of the storm system.

Mayor Kimo Alameda, while signaling the end of the acute emergency phase, urged continued caution. "While peak storm impacts have passed, we are not out of the woods yet, so please continue to exercise caution," he said. "I want to give a special mahalo to our first responders and road crews who are working hard to keep our residents safe. Throughout this storm, our community has stepped up in a big way, and the support from our State, National Guard, and nonprofit partners has been critical to protecting life and property."

The shelters had opened at noon on Friday, March 13, after Mayor Alameda signed an emergency proclamation the preceding Thursday afternoon. That disaster declaration allowed the county to streamline its response and coordinate resources as the Kona low moved across the state and over Hawaiʻi Island, bringing southwest winds of 30 to 40 mph with gusts reaching 60 mph. The National Weather Service had identified communities north and east of steep mountains, including Kona and Kaʻū Districts, as most at risk from island-wide gusty winds.

The storm triggered a broad shutdown of county services. All county offices, all public Department of Education and private schools, the Hilo Municipal Golf Course, Panaʻewa Rainforest Zoo and Gardens, and all solid waste facilities including transfer stations were closed Friday and Saturday. All beach parks across the island were also shut. Camping permits at county parks were cancelled from Friday through Monday morning. Hele-On bus service operated under modified route schedules with some cancellations in effect during the storm.

Shelter guidance from the county had instructed residents and visitors to bring their own sleeping bags, food, water, medications, and pet food. All shelter sites were pet-friendly with the exception of Waikoloa Elementary School; pets at all other locations were required to be kept in a crate or carrier.

Mayor Alameda had framed the opening of shelters as a precautionary but urgent measure. "We urge our residents to stay prepared for severe weather and take extra precaution as this storm ramps up," he said at the time. "We will continue to provide updates through our Civil Defense notifications and official channels, so stay safe, stay informed and be ready for potential power outages and flooding through this weekend."

With shelters now closed and county operations set to resume, the focus shifts to assessing what the Kona low left behind across Hawaiʻi Island's communities.