Hurricane ‘Kiko’ is headed towards the islands of Hawaii as a Category 4, with officials having declared an emergency, the Hill reported. According to the Hill, Hurricane Kiko was about 1,205 miles east-southeast of Honolulu with 130 mph winds, as of 5 a.m. Hawaiian Standard Time, or 11 a.m. Eastern Standard Time, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).
With 25 mph winds, the hurricane was moving west-northwest. The NWS said Hurricane Kiko will reach Big Island and Maui by Sunday, peaking along the eastern parts of the Hawaiian Islands late Monday through midweek, the Hill reported. On Friday, Hawaii issued a state of emergency, as life-threatening surf and rip currents are possible, thereby allowing for the possibility of federal assistance during a disaster.
“To ensure the safety and preparedness of our communities, the state and counties will stand ready to mobilise resources to clear debris, secure infrastructure, and respond quickly to any possible damage caused by the storm,” said Acting Governor Sylvia Luke, as reported by the Hill.
“We urge residents and visitors to monitor updates, follow official guidance and prepare accordingly.” Given the cooler water surrounding Hawaii, Kiko is expected to downgrade to Categories 2 and 1, then to a tropical storm before making landfall on the Big Island, according to NewsNation local affiliate KHON, cited by the Hill. Hill further reported that it is the second hurricane of this season, which runs from June 1 to November 30. Earlier, hurricane ‘Erin’ emerged last month in the Atlantic Ocean but didn’t make landfall.
Hawaii’s Emergency Management Agency (EMA) in a post on X on Saturday (local time) shared inputs on the update of Hurricane Kiko. “Kiko will approach Hawai`i during the early to middle portion of next week. Wind and rain impacts remain a possibility, but it is still too soon to determine the exact location & magnitude of these impacts,” it said.
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