Waialua flooding drives neighborhood cleanup as residents return to damaged homes

On March 24, 2026, Waialua flooding prompted neighbors to begin cleanup efforts after floodwaters swept through a North Shore community on Oahu. Local resident Mac Burton said he recorded significant inundation in his Waialua neighborhood on Friday morning and spent early Saturday warning neighbors as water levels rose.

By Sunday residents were working in the streets to help displaced families return to damaged houses. Burton described structures with floors at or below roughly four feet as effectively destroyed; many homes still contain standing water and heavy layers of mud. He said wood-frame residences that remain standing face likely mold and water damage, and crews and volunteers are removing soaked debris and shoveling mud to begin drying interiors.

Cleanup work, Burton said, will extend for months as crews and neighbors confront continued challenges including power outages that complicate pumping and drying operations. He recounted waking neighbors during the early hours as floodwaters climbed and called attention to the community response, with residents organizing on-scene to clear streets and homes so families can assess damage and begin recovery.