What are my risks?
What
are the chances of a hurricane destroying my home?
No one knows. We can only go on past history. Almost
no one expected a hurricane as powerful as Iniki would strike
Hawaii. The best we can guess is hurricanes in the future will
probably hit Hawaii as frequently as they have in the past. We
know that since 1950 five hurricanes or tropical storms have caused
serious damage in Hawaii. Hurricane Nina in 1957 produced record
winds in Honolulu. Hurricane Dot did a lot of damage on Kauai
in 1959. Hurricane Iwa did extensive damage on Kauai and Oahu
in 1982. Hurricane Estelle produced very high surf on Hawaii and
Maui and floods on Oahu in 1986. Hurricane Iniki did extensive
damage on Kauai and Leeward Oahu in 1992. Since 1950, seven other
tropical storms or hurricanes could have caused serious damage.
These include Hurricane Fernanda in 1993, Hurricane Emilia in
1994, and Hurricane Daniel in August 2000.
Where
have the most wind-related insurance claims been for Oahu?
Click
here to download an image map of wind related insurance claims.
The data for this map was compiled from various
insurance firms' homeowner policy claims from 1989 to 1999. This
is intended to serve only for a general hazard indicator map and
is not meant as a policy document.
Source: Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund
What
are the potential losses from future hurricanes on Oahu?
If a
Category 1 storm as strong as Hurricane Iwa, with winds gusting
at 74 mph, strikes any of the islands in the state, we can guess
from past experience that about 12% of the houses and apartments
could be destroyed or heavily damaged and about 18% would probably
experience minor damages.
If a Category
3 storm strikes any island with the same force as Iniki, with
winds raging at 130 mph, we can guess that about 38% of the homes
will be heavily damaged or destroyed. An additional 40% will probably
have minor damages.
The
following information was extrapolated from Kauai Damage in 1982
and 1992. ($ billion in 1992)
| |
Oahu |
Maui |
Hawaii |
Kauai |
| Iwa-Strength Storm
|
$4.5-7.5 |
$0.8-1.4 |
$0.8-1.4 |
$0.3-0.6 |
| Iniki-Strength
Storm |
$13.9-23.3 |
$2.7-4.5 |
$2.6-4.4 |
$1.1-1.9 |
Source: Hawaii Coastal Hazard Mitigation Planning
Project, Office of Planning, December 1993
Where
have strong winds been measured on Oahu?
Click
here to download an image of strong winds.
Northeast
trade winds predominate throughout most of the year and generally
range in velocity between 10 and 20 mph. Trade winds of 40-60
mph occasionally occur.
During
the 1993-1994 and 1994-1995 winter seasons, for example, strong
and gusty trade winds of 40 to 50 mph lasted several days and
inflicted damage to rooftops, tree limbs, and telephone equipment.
The east-facing coastlines, as a result, are the windward coasts
and most impacted by trade wind energy.
Kona winds
are southerly winds and occur as light and variable winds during
summer months. Strong Kona winds generally occur in the winter
and have reached velocities of 50 mph.
Damaging
winds on Oahu are most commonly associated with passing tropical
cyclones. Historically, east-facing coastlines receive the brunt
of strong onshore winds as storms approach the islands. As Hurricane
Iwa passed west of Oahu, the highest winds were observed at the
base of the Pali in Kaneohe.
Source: Fletcher, Charles, Eric Grossman, Bruce Richmond. Atlas
of Natural Hazards in the Hawaiian Coastal Zone. 2000.