Hurricane Lowell battered Hawaii's western islands earlier this week, leaving widespread destruction, power outages affecting nearly 90 percent of Kauai, and at least two confirmed deaths. The Category 2 storm passed west of the islands on September 8, bringing damaging winds, heavy rainfall, storm surge, and hazardous surf.

Governor Josh Green toured affected areas on Kauai and requested expedited federal assistance from President Donald Trump for Kauai and Maui counties. Initial damage estimates exceed $400 million, with significant impacts to roads, harbors, utilities, and coastal properties. Green noted that the storm appears to have caused more damage than Hurricane Iniki in 1992.

On Kauai, winds knocked out power to over 33,000 utility accounts, or about 90 percent of customers. The Lihue Airport closed temporarily, and ports were shut down. Storm surge flooded resorts in Poipu and damaged highways with debris and rocks. A 74-year-old man died near the shoreline in a storm surge-related incident.

Another fatality occurred on Oahu when a tree fell on a homeless man's tent during the storm. Rainfall peaked at over 21 inches in some Kauai locations, leading to flooding and mudslides.

Green activated hundreds of National Guard members and emphasized the need for quick federal support to restore infrastructure. The request seeks public assistance for debris removal, emergency measures, and repairs to public facilities.

Lowell formed on August 27 and reached Category 5 strength before weakening. It has since been downgraded and moved westward. Recovery efforts continue amid ongoing assessments of the full scope of destruction.