The Red Cross said 27 volunteers from Hawaii are going to Texas and Florida to assist in hurricane-related work.
Twenty-four will help people recover from the devastation of Hurricane Harvey in Texas, and three are going to Orlando, Fla., a staging site for Hurricane Irma.
Of the 24 going to Texas, nine volunteers came from the Big Island, four from Maui, one from Molokai and 10 from Oahu.
The three going to Orlando include two volunteers from Oahu and one from Kauai.
Officials estimate 135,000 homes might have been affected in Texas with more than 22,000 homes receiving major damage. Texas officials report damage from Harvey could reach as high as $180 billion, more than hurricanes Katrina or Sandy.
Waimea added to brown-water advisories
The state Department of Health issued a brown-water advisory Tuesday for Waimea Bay on Oahu due to heavy rain.
The department’s Clean Water Branch advises the public to stay out of stormwater runoff due to possible contamination with pesticides, pathogens and animal fecal matter. If the water is brown, the public is generally advised to stay out.
Advisories are still in effect for Honokowai Beach on Maui and Waimea Bay Landing on Kauai due to high levels of bacteria, as well as for wastewater discharge at Honolulu Harbor.
Hawaii island
Hospital to train for nuclear crisis
HILO >> Hilo Medical Center is planning to conduct a full-scale nuclear disaster drill Dec. 1.
The Hawaii Tribune-Herald reported Monday that the exercise will piggyback on Hawaii officials’ plan for a statewide siren test to alert residents of a nuclear disaster.
Worries about a nuclear strike have ramped up in recent months due to back-and-forth rhetoric between President Donald Trump and North Korea leader Kim Jong Un.
On Sunday, North Korea said it detonated a hydrogen bomb, which was its sixth and most powerful nuclear test.
Hospital spokeswoman Elena Cabatu says employees will go through two practice exercises in November that they won’t be told about in preparation for the drill.
Molokai
Fridge trade-in draws families
WAILUKU >> Hawaii Energy has launched the latest phase of a program to replace families’ older, energy-eating refrigerators with new, energy-efficient models.
Dozens of Molokai families began dropping off their aging refrigerators at Duke Maliu Regional Park and received new General Electric units that will help lower their electrical bills.
A total of 177 Energy Star-certified refrigerators will be delivered during the trade-in opportunity, The Maui News reported.
Hawaii Energy program manager Burk Gingerich said a refrigerator can cost families on Molokai $350 a year in excess utility costs.
Participants are required to sign up in advance, and those who qualify are eligible to purchase a new refrigerator for $250. The price includes a rebate from Hawaii Energy.
