Bayanihan — the Filipino tradition of neighbors coming together to help one another — is still in full effect as the Filipino and greater Hawaii communities come together to help those hurt by the back-to-back Kona low storms in March that caused severe flooding, landslides, and mudslides across multiple islands, most notably on Oʻahu’s North Shore, Maui and Hawaiʻi Island.
Gov Josh Green estimates damage caused by the Kona low storms to be $1 billion ($700 million in damage alone, plus $300 million in lost economic activity). AccuWeather cites a damage figure closer to $2 billion. Civic groups, non-profits, churches, and businesses continue to pool donations for cleaning supplies and temporary lodging.
State officials say cleanup is expected to take months and officials warn that saturated ground can keep streams and hillsides dangerous even after the storms have long passed. The City and County of Honolulu said its damage-report dashboards showed at least 1,074 properties were damaged or temporarily inaccessible on Oʻahu, including 22 destroyed and 257 needing extensive repairs. Over 260 homes are no longer habitable.
Waialua, Mokulēʻia, and Haleʻiwa were repeatedly cited as among the most devastated areas, with catastrophic flooding and a high concentration of major damage, total losses. It’s estimated that 16% of Waialua’s population is Filipino, some of whom work as farmers.
Farmers hit hard Farmers on Oʻahu’s North Shore in Waialua suffered major losses. More than $9.4 million in agricultural losses have been reported. Muddy water lines still stain the walls of homes and tarps ripple over broken roofs. Soaked drywall lay to the side of garages. Farmers describe powerful winds and rain tore through their farms. Crops that they had planted and nurtured were blown over, snapped, and damaged beyond recovery. Leaves were shredded, stems were broken, and weeks of their hard work were lost in just hours.
This happened in just the first storm. When the second storm came, what wasn’t broken was now submerged. The soil became oversaturated, roots began to rot, and entire rows of crops were wiped out, farmers said.
Al Medrano, a farmer who also leases his land to several other farmers describes the aftermath of the storms. “These farmer-tenants really took a hit. The flood wiped out their crops. Now they have to start from ground zero. They plant okea, dry taro, red taro, sayote, toge, singkamas, bittermelon leaves and fruits, long beans, banana. They are slowly plowing. Some are growing back now, hopefully soon they will be harvesting. They are doing their best until they can get back on their feet. They are not selling produce yet,” Medrano said.
He elaborates farmers are not just trying to get back to normalcy but looking at ways to control flooding in the future. Farmers have been meeting with city council members and state representatives. “We’re not sure how they’re going to follow through exactly but I’m thinking it will have to be a big project. We can’t control mother nature, but we can control our response. We need to direct the outflow to the ocean, which is, at this time, there is nothing like that,” Medrano said.
State and county officials have opened recovery centers and urged storm survivors to document damage and apply for help (resources are at the of article). The Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity through its Emergency Farmer Relief Program has set up a one-time $1,500 grant for eligible farmers and Ag businesses statewide impacted by Kona Low 1 and Kona Low 2 storms. The state authorized $500,000 for the program and required proof such as a GET license.
The City & County of Honolulu, County-led recovery hub and coordination has a Department of Emergency Management “Kona Low Storm Recovery” page that describes how city departments and partner agencies are coordinating to assess damage, address safety, and connect residents with help, plus directions for reporting storm damage (important for documenting impacts and unlocking/targeting recovery resources). [honolulu.gov]. The city also has in-person assistance. It is continuing large-scale debris removal, and crews have been clearing stream channels and drainage systems and removing blockage materials to reduce the chance of repeat flooding, including around North Shore stream crossings, officials said.
Another farmer on Oʻahu’s North Shore in Waialua who chose to remain anonymous said nearly two months later the challenges they face are still very real and evolving every day. “The initial destruction was bad, but the long tail of recovery is where it gets especially tough for small operations like mine like the ongoing soil and field recovery issues because floodwaters left behind thick layers of mud, silt, rocks, and debris across the fields. In some places, several inches of topsoil were completely stripped away. Entire rotations of vegetable crops were lost, and delayed planting schedules were behind by weeks to months.”
He adds, “most of us Hawaii farmers don’t have federal crop insurance because I think it’s not designed well for our small, diversified operations. Cash flow is tight, with no income from lost harvests, but bills for inputs, fuel, and rents continue. It’s a lot, physically tiring cleanup, constant worry about finances and the emotional weight of seeing months of work erased. But the community support from volunteers, other farmers, and groups has been a lifeline.” He encourages the public to buy local when their harvests rebound or support farm recovery funds. “It makes a big difference,” he said.
Unified front for recovery Easing the path to recovery, a coalition of advocacy and service organizations joined forces to provide a “safety net” for the affected families. Last month, the groups met at the Waialua Agricultural Building to deliver critical financial and moral support to local farmers for a relief event hosted by the Haleiwa-Waialua Historical Society.
Participating organizations included the Hawaii Filipinos for Trust, Justice and Democracy, Hawaii Workers Center, Anakbayan Hawaii, Hawaii Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines, Filipino Association of University Women and Bayanihan Clinic Without Walls.
“Seeing the community come together at the Waialua Agricultural Building gives us hope,” noted organizers. “By combining our resources, we can provide more than just money; we provide the solidarity needed to rebuild,” said Margaret Sagaysay of the Haleiwa-Waialua Historical Society in her report to the organization.
For many of the farmers present—many of whom are part of the vibrant Filipino agricultural community—the assistance serves as a vital step in easing the pain and suffering caused by the loss of crops and equipment, the report stated.
Dr. Arcy Imasa and her group Hawaii Filipinos for Truth, Justice and Democracy are helping to raise funds for the flood victims. “We are supporting impacted communities by providing education on the effects of the Kona low disaster, particularly for local farmers and residents. We are also raising awareness of the deeper structural issues that make our communities vulnerable to disasters, including land and water rights, food sustainability, and environmental justice. In addition, we are raising funds to help supplement lost income and support recovery efforts during this challenging time,” Imasa said.
Besides monetary donations, organizers say people can help in other ways like providing storm survivors transportation, preparing hot meals now and then, helping with temporary childcare or moving debris and mud buildup. They say elderly or people who are not savvy with computers might also need special help navigating for resource assistance. The Bayanihan with North Shore Farmers Project, which is supported through Bayanihan Clinic Without Walls’s (BCWW) donation campaign raised a total of $4,390 since the Project started a few weeks ago. They are now delivering the kōkua to the farmers.
President of BCWW Jay Flores said last month they were at the old Waialua General Store, which now houses the Haleiwa Waialua Historical Society, to distribute care packages and financial assistance to five farmers who were affected by the Kona Low storms.
“From the inundation of their farms to the contamination of their source of water with e-coli, these farmers are facing multiple challenges related to their main source of livelihood. Without the assistance of the government and other charitable organizations, it will be very difficult for them to recover back from the devastation that the Kona Low storms have caused,” Flores said.
The Katatagan Pondo Program of Kaibigan ng Lāhaina was established to provide immediate financial assistance to individuals and families impacted by the recent Kona Low Storm.
Ryan Corpuz, founding member and current vice president of Kaibigan ng Lahaina, said their organization created a one-time financial assistance program that is currently on going. It’s called Katatagan Pondo with financial assistance for up to $250.
He said applications are available on their website at Kaibigannglahaina.org. To ensure assistance reaches those directly affected, all applicants are required to submit documentation and proof of impact as part of the verification process. So far, they have received 88 applications, 42 of which have been approved. A total of $10,500 has been distributed with immediate assistance.
Matthew Aqui, through Servco, volunteered as one of the “Navigators,” helping connect community members with the right organizations for their specific needs. “It was meaningful work, and I was proud to be part of a team that showed up for our neighbors when it mattered most,” he said.
Servco mobilized more than 90 volunteers who logged over 550 hours, delivering cleaning supplies and water to flood-hit homes in the storm’s immediate aftermath. He said the company also helped receive and distribute donations at the Waialua distribution hub and assisted with transporting supplies to residents in need.
Servco also is partnering with the Hawaiian Council and Bank of Hawaii to launch the Wheels in Action program, an initiative designed to restore access to reliable transportation for families during recovery. Servco is helping families with safe, reliable transportation, immediately available from its inventory at no cost to participating families.
Eligible individuals and families may receive temporary no-cost use of the vehicle for short-term, everyday use through this program. This support is available to O‘ahu residents whose vehicles were destroyed by the storms. Priority will be given to households with kūpuna or children.
“Transportation quickly becomes one of the biggest hurdles after a disaster, and we’re proud to be part of a solution that’s practical and rooted in the immediate needs of the community,” said Bank of Hawai‘i President and CEO Jim Polk. “We hope this helps families regain some stability during a very difficult time.”
Rare occurrence Officials say the Kona low storms caused the worst flooding in over 20 years, with over 100,000 customers losing power. Some areas saw an unprecedented 30 inches of rain. The Wahiawa Dam on Oahu was at risk of failure. Kona low storms are seasonal, weather experts say, but back-to-back, high-intensity systems are rare. Some residents have complained that emergency alerts did not come early enough and put them at high risk.
RESOURCES, Kona Low Storms’ Assistance *FEMA Individual Assistance help with essentials like temporary housing and certain home repairs, when not covered by insurance is currently available and a crucial June 7, 2026 is approaching for application deadline. Apply at DisasterAssistance.gov, via the FEMA app, or call 1-800-621-3362.
*Aloha United Way “211” (statewide help line): all 2-1-1 (or visit auw211.org) to get connected to housing, food, supplies, transportation, charging sites, and to enroll in Disaster Case Management.
*Hawaiʻi Emergency Management (HI-EMA) recovery hub: The HI-EMA “March 2026 Kona Low Storms” page links to county recovery websites, temporary shelter info, health guidance, and road-closure/travel info. (Search: “HI-EMA March 2026 Kona Low Storms”.)
*Food help / SNAP replacements (Hawaiʻi DHS): If SNAP food was lost due to outages, contact any DHS Processing Center or call the Public Assistance Information Line: 1-855-643-1643 (deadlines/eligibility vary by area).
*Emergency Conservation Program (ECP): USDA approved ECP for all Hawaiʻi counties, offering cost-share (up to 75%, max $500,000/event) for eligible restoration practices (debris removal, grading, fence repair, etc.) for damage.
*Low-interest disaster loans (U.S. SBA): Homeowners/renters/businesses/nonprofits can apply at sba.gov/disaster or call 1-800-659-2955.
*State emergency agricultural loan program (planned/being activated): DAB indicated it would seek Board approval to activate emergency agricultural loans, with proposed terms including up to $100,000 at 3% interest, with some requirements (like “credit elsewhere”) proposed to be waived/relaxed for smaller loans, and an application window proposed through Sept. 30, 2026. [dab.hawaii.gov] Kona Low Storms Donation *Hawaii Filipinos for Truth, Justice and Democracy. Donations may be sent thru:
HFTJD’s Venmo handle: @hawaiitruthwarriors (“last 4 digits” is 0274). For tax-deductible donations via checks, write in memo “Bayanihan for Farmers” and send to: Hawaii Workers Center P.O. Box 29969, Honolulu, HI 96820.
*Bayanihan Clinic Without Walls: For those who would like to help the victims of the Kona Low storms or contribute financially to the work of BCWW, go to https://pmah-hawaii.org/donation-for-bayanihan and make your tax-deductible contribution or you may write a check payable to BCWW and mail it to P. O. Box 1294, Pearl City, Hawaii 96782.
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