HAUULA, Hawaii (KHON2) — Living in rural communities comes with challenges, including limited resources, especially during a disaster.
A tsunami warning on Tuesday, July 29, gave us a stark reminder of that. But one group has been working on emergency preparedness with the Hau’ula community since 2009, and progress is being made.
Kaneohe man reflects on surviving 1946 Hilo tsunami
Some of the issues Hau’ula faces, along with other rural communities on the Windward Coast, are power outages, which impact water access. Then there’s the two-lane road, the only way in and out of Hau’ula.
“Many, many people are in the flood and tsunami zone, so that creates a problem getting out of that area, and then where do they go? You know, that’s another big problem. So that’s why everyone needs to have a communication plan with their family, an emergency plan,” stressed President of Hui O Hau’ula Dotty Kelly-Paddock…