Hawaii disaster officials caution quake damage not immediately evident Residents of Hawai’i County who have felt the ground rumble beneath their homes as a result of the ongoing Kilauea eruptions and earthquakes are encouraged to look carefully for damage. Signs of earthquake damage are not immediately evident and can be cumulative. Even small quakes can cause damage. Residents should check their property periodically and document any damage. Look for: • damages... Read More

Director Tanya N. Garfield of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Disaster Field Operations Center-West announced today that SBA has approved $10.2 million in Hawaii federal disaster loans for businesses and residents impacted by Kilauea volcanic eruption and earthquakes that began on May 3, 2018. According to Garfield, SBA has approved $989,500 for businesses and $9,211,900 for residents to help rebuild and recover from this disaster. “SBA’s disaster assistance employees are committed... Read More

FEMA recovery experts at the Keaau Hawaii Disaster Recovery Center are offering residents advice on building back stronger from disaster damage and tips on retrofitting to protect against earthquake damage. Whether from wind, fire, flooding or earthquake, FEMA specialists can offer advice on how to rebuild and how to prepare for multiple hazards. With a focus on the recent earthquake activity, a “continuous load path” model is on display at the... Read More

Businesses and nonprofit organizations on the Big Island of Hawaii are finding that applying for a low-interest disaster loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration can be a smart business decision. Disaster loans provide funding for business owners (including landlords) and private nonprofit organizations with their recovery and are being used to: • Repair or replace disaster damaged or destroyed property and business assets, such as equipment and inventory; • Economic... Read More

Some Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC), established to assist Kauai and Honolulu residents in applying for benefits following April’s flooding, will merge and change their hours of operations beginning this weekend. Hanalei Elementary School in Kauai and Aina Haina Elementary School in Honolulu will remain open. Jointly operated by Kauai County, the City and County of Honolulu, the state of Hawai‘i, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Disaster Recovery Centers... Read More

The State Chief Elections Officer and the Hawaii County Clerk have responded to a demand letter from the ACLU of Hawaii. That letter expressed concerns about the constitutionality of the Office of Elections’ original voting plan for precincts 4-03 and 4-04, which did not allow for in-person voting and registration on election day. Both of these precincts have been affected by the ongoing volcanic eruptions. In a new proclamation dated July... Read More