Gov. Green announces Presidential Disaster Declaration approval for Hawaiʻi

This story was updated at 12:45 p.m. on April 15, 2026.

Hawai‘i Gov. Josh Green announced the approval of a Presidential Disaster Declaration for Hawaiʻi as a result of the Kona low storms in March that caused extensive flooding across the state.

The announcement comes following a conversation between the governor and the Secretary of Homeland Security on Wednesday.

Sen. Brian Schatz expressed his gratitude for the support.

“People across Hawai‘i have come together to respond to and recover from this disaster, and our county, state, and federal governments have stepped up to support them,” the senator said. “We thank President Trump for approving this request. FEMA has been a supportive partner in this process, and this new declaration will mean more federal resources to help people recover and rebuild.”

Green called the declaration an important first step.

Green said he is grateful to the President and FEMA for this critical help. 

“Being recognized as a major disaster is significant because it opens the door for additional federal resources and establishes a shared responsibility between the state and federal government to support our communities throughout our recovery,” said Green.

He continued: “The recovery from this storm will be long and difficult and will require constant collaboration with the counties and the federal administration — and I am confident that as with other recent disasters, we will benefit from the aloha we share for each other and our collaborative approach with anyone who can offer assistance.”

The governor said the state will continue to “move with urgency to get help to those who need it most.”