09/10/2026
Iniki, Sept 11, 1992 History:
Emergency food and water shipments began arriving on Kauai via military cargo planes and ships within 24 to 48 hours after Hurricane Iniki struck on September 11, 1992.
The arrival timeline unfolded through a massive, joint military and nonprofit mobilization:
The Immediate Aftermath (Sept. 11–12)
On Friday and Saturday, communication and power were completely knocked out across the island, and Lihue Airport’s control tower was heavily damaged, halting commercial flights.
Residents had to rely entirely on whatever water and non-perishable food they had pre-stocked, as water lines were compromised and food in refrigerators quickly spoiled.
Local communities and first responders shared whatever limited local resources they could find.
The First Major Influx (Sept. 13)
By Sunday, the Hawaii Air National Guard established an airlift, flying C-130 transport planes from Oahu across the channel every 30 minutes.
These flights brought in initial shipments of water, food, and generators. Concurrently, a Navy amphibious assault ship arrived offshore carrying fresh water, food, ice, tents, and cots.
Immediate Nonprofit Mobilization
Organizations like The Salvation Army were able to start immediate relief efforts with unique assistance.
Director Steven Spielberg, who was filming Jurassic Park on the island when the storm hit, lent his production team's private aircraft to the Salvation Army disaster crew to fly in personnel and critical supplies before normal commercial flights resumed.
[Distribution Centers Open (Mid-Sept)
The National Guard, Red Cross, and Salvation Army set up five primary relief distribution centers across the island—in Lihue, Kapaa, Hanapepe, Kalaheo, and Princeville.
Airmen from the 154th Services Flight set up mobile kitchen trailers to serve hot meals, while long lines formed at tents for essentials like rice, water, and canned goods.
Because the ports and local infrastructure took weeks to fully recover, emergency management agencies now look back at Hurricane ʻIniki as the primary case study for why Hawaii residents are advised to keep a 14-day supply of food and water stocked at home ahead of any major storm.
🪨🪨🪨🪨🪨
To County of Kaua'i
Today, an announcement was made by the mayor of Kauai that it is day one and it is unknown how many days the island will be without electricity.
There’s been no announcement to the people of Kauai if any kind of help with food, water and ice is a plan for the communities’ most vulnerable.
I think folks went through a catastrophic event & are grateful all are safe. 🙏🏼
There was major damage in pockets of the island. Overall, most were grateful for minimal impact on properties.
With electricity out, plenty food businesses not open, plenty of folks not working, plenty of locals homeless, plenty of vulnerable people in the community living paycheck to paycheck, plenty tourists without a 14 day supply of food, water…
And plenty folks forgot to get cash. Without cash…cannot buy food items in many places.
Is there a plan to give food, water, ice 🧊 out to Kauai community?
Can the government, at minimum, provide distribution of ice to the community? Not everyone has a generator.
….just saying.
Thank you to the emergency crews executing an epic job in clearing trees, asphalt, concrete, rubbish throughout the islands — most highways & roads were made safer within a day. Amazing! 🔥🙌🏽
Mahalo is echoed from the entire island 🤙🏽
—WHOkauai
🪨🪨🪨🪨🪨
And here’s the Kauai County announcement! I missed it late last night:
Kauai County Announcement
Sept 8, 2026 8:40 pm
Food Distribution Sites to open across Kauaʻi following Hurricane Lowell
LĪHUʻE – Food Distribution Sites will be set up at locations across Kauaʻi over the next several days to help residents affected by Hurricane Lowell, which caused extended and widespread power outages.
The distribution events are being coordinated by the County of Kauaʻi’s Incident Management Team in partnership with the Hawaiʻi Foodbank Kauaʻi and local churches.
Distribution will be available at the following dates, times and locations:
Wednesday, Sept. 9
KALAHEO (South)
11 am to 3 pm – Holy Cross Church, Kalāheo
LIHUE (East)
11 am to 3 pm – Aloha Church, Līhuʻe
PRINCEVILLE (North)
1 pm to 3 pm – Church of the Pacific, Prince
Thursday, Sept. 10
LIHUE (EAST)
8 am to 11 am – Hale Līhuʻe, Līhuʻe.
Turn from Rice Street into the parking lot, then exit toward the Convention Hall;
KALAHEO (South)
11 am to 3 pm – Holy Cross Church, Kalāheo
Friday, Sept. 11
LIHUE (EAST)
8 am to 11 am – Hale Līhuʻe, Līhuʻe.
Turn from Rice Street into the parking lot, then exit toward the Convention Hall.
Saturday, Sept. 12
ELE’ELE (West)
7 am to 8 am – ʻEleʻele Baptist Church, ʻEleʻele
🪨🪨🪨🪨🪨
For more information, please contact the Kauaʻi Emergency Management Agency at 808-241-1800 or [email protected].
If you need an ASL interpreter, materials in an alternate format, other auxiliary aid support, or an interpreter for a language other than English, please contact the Kauaʻi Emergency Management Agency at 808-241-1800 or [email protected] as soon as possible.
Requests made as early as possible will allow adequate time to fulfill your request.
Upon request, this notice is available in alternate formats such as large print, Braille, or electronic copy.
— County of Kauai
🪨🪨🪨🪨🪨
Photo: Sept 8, 2026
Road to Spouting Horn.
Prince Kuhio & Kuhio Park to the right.
What's Happening on Kaua'i
