Hurricane Lane continues to batter Hawaii’s Big Island as it slowly rolls through, bringing with it torrential rain and catastrophic flooding.
In just 24 hours Lane downgraded from a Category 3 hurricane to a Tropical Storm by Friday evening, after beating the island with 85mph winds, pounding rains, and landslides.
The furious storm has left communities without power and forced thousands to seek emergency shelter as the storm leers perilously close to Hawaii’s capital Honolulu.
And the slow-moving hurricane isn’t leaving anytime soon as it’s spiraling at just two mph. It’s trajectory is headed towards the Western islands, just skirting Oahu, the state’s most populated island.
It was last positioned 150 miles south of Honolulu.
Hurricane Lane downgraded from a Category 3 hurricane to a Tropical Storm by Friday evening but beach-goers couldn’t be bothered as they dared into the raging waters to surf along Waikiki Beach ahead on Friday
The menacing weather that went from a Category 3 storm to a Tropical Storm by Friday evening didn’t deter adrenaline seekers from heading to the sea cliffs on the southeast shore of Oahu as Hurricane Lane approaches on Friday
Unbothered! A beachgoer lets her towel fly in the wind on Kailua Beach on as 85mph winds ripped through the islands
Swimmers get tossed around at Makapu’u Beach on Friday iin Waimanalo, Hawaii as the hurricane approached Oahu
For some surfers the storm brought enticing waves, an adventurer pictured out with his board in Honolulu on Friday
TheRed Cross said more than 2,000 people were sheltering in 45 evacuation centers yet still many headed to Waikiki Beach
Huge waves violently slammed cliffs near the Halona Blowhole on Friday as the ocean swells impacted Hawaii coastline
‘Regardless of the hurricane track, life-threatening impacts will extend far beyond the center position as Lane approaches the islands,’ the National Weather Center said.
‘Excessive rainfall associated with this slow moving hurricane will continue to impact the Hawaiian Islands into the weekend, leading to catastrophic and life-threatening flash flooding and landslides,’ it added.
The outer bands of the storm dumped three feet of rain over the course of 48 hours on the mostly rural Big Island, where the Kilauea Volcano is still erupting.
The rains left the city of Hilo – home to 43,000 – waist-deep in water as National Guard and emergency services scrambled to rescue six people and a dog from their flooded residence. Five tourists from California were also rescued from another home, according to CBS.
‘There’s so much rain, the drainage is all saturated. We’re just letting nature take its course, getting water down to the ocean and responding to any rescues,’ Hawaii County Managing Director Wil Okabe said.
Preparing for the worst: As the raging storm leered closer, stores were boarded up near Waikiki Beach ahead of the blow
Locals stocked up on food and essentials, pictured outside a convenience store near Waikiki beach ahead of Hurricane Lane
The vicious 85mph winds and three feet of rain battered neighborhoods in Hilo, Hawaii, a destroyed home pictured above
The city of Hilo, Hawaii was inundated with rain leaving residents stranded waist-deep in water following the deluge
Drenched: A road in Hilo pictured completely submerged after the region saw three feet of rain dump from the heavens
Brush fires: While certain regions of Hawaii suffered flooding, wildfires broke out in Oahu and Maui, spreading for 300 acres
Resident Margaret Collins, 69, said she was shocked to awaken to the sound of moving water in her backyard in Hilo.
‘So I got up out of bed and looked out my bedroom window and saw water 3 feet high gushing past my window,’ she said. ‘And that’s when I realized I was standing in water.’
‘My house is completely inundated with mudwater,’ she echoed adding that she was told the damage wouldn’t be covered by insurance.
Brad Kieserman, vice president of Disaster Operations and Logistics for the American Red Cross, said more than 2,000 people were sheltering in 45 evacuation centers.
‘I would not be surprised to wake up tomorrow morning and see evacuation center populations at or above 2,500 or 3,000,’ he added.
As floods washed over the Big Island, brush fires raged fury in Maui and Oahu stretching 300 acres. forcing residents to flee. A woman sustained burns to the hands and legs and was flown to Honolulu for treatment.
Drone footage shows large swaths of flooding in the town of Hilo after Hurricane Lane passed through Hawaii’s Big Island
People watch from the Puueo Street bridge as the Wailuku River rages below them in Hilo, Hawaii, on Thursday afternoon
In just 24 hours the once Category 3 hurricane downgraded to a Tropical Storm by 5pm Friday evening with 70mph winds
The storm is headed to the western islands of Hawaii and was last measured about 150miles away from the capital Honolulu
However the island is expected to suffer plenty of more rain as the storm continues to make its way through Hawaii
An Instagram video of the fiery display shows flacks reaching several stories high swallow parked cars.
‘I opened up my front door, and I just saw the fire spreading and coming downhill,’ Josh Galinato said upon smelling smoke in his Lahaina apartment.
Despite the damage there are some that refuse to find safety.
Bold swimmers and surfers keen to test out the storm’s rushing waves have been spotted jumping of seawalls and into the turbulent ocean, ignoring warnings from authorities blaring on loudspeakers.
Adrenaline seekers were seen daring into the open water at Oahu’s famous Waikiki beach, which was officially closed.
Emergency warnings were aired stating: ‘Please get out of the water! It’s very dangerous!’
The storm is expected to head west next on Saturday, as tropical storm watches have been set for Hawaii’s most western inhabited islands of Kauai and Niihau.
President Trump spoke to Hawaii Gov. David Ige on Friday, according to the White House said.
He tweeted that the government ‘is fully committed to helping the people of Hawaii’ in light of the raging hurricane and he’s already declared a disaster declaration for Hawaii.
Hurricane Lane is the first to make landfall in Hawaii since Hurricane Iniki rolled through the island of Kauai, killing six and causing billions of dollars in damage.