Hawaiʻi’s most socially vulnerable communities live in areas with greatest disaster risk
By Climate Advisory Team
Hawaiʻi’s most socially vulnerable communities live in areas where the risks of wildfires and floods are among the highest in the state, according to data analysis commissioned by the Hawaiʻi Climate Advisory Team. The analysis was conducted by Guy Carpenter, a global risk and reinsurance firm, and measures how susceptible communities are to the adverse impacts of natural disasters based on their socioeconomic status, household characteristics and other key indicators, using FEMA’s National Risk Index.
Socially vulnerable communities face higher rates of poverty and high housing cost burdens, have more households with elderly people, children or people living with disabilities, and are from racial or ethnic minority groups, among other factors. These communities live closest to the edge on a daily basis and are most at risk of being pushed out of Hawaiʻi.
The findings reveal that several vulnerable communities live in areas that face significant disaster risks, specifically risks of wildfires and floods:
Wildfire Risk: Mākaha, Waiʻanae and Nānākuli are socially vulnerable communities within a 2-mile ring in a high wildfire hazard area.
Flood Risk: Waipahu, Pearl City, Āliamanu, Salt Lake, Kalihi, Kapalāma on Oʻahu and Kahului and Wailuku on Maui are socially vulnerable communities within a 2-mile ring of a high inland flood hazard area.
On Hawaiʻi Island, communities in Waikoloa, Kohala, Kona, Pāhoa and Kaʻū were also places with socially vulnerable households that live in areas with high wildfire risk. Hilo is at high risk for floods that could cause harm to socially vulnerable populations. On Maui, socially vulnerable communities living Upcountry, in Wailuku and in West Maui face high wildfire risk. These graphics show the intersection of high wildfire and flood risks and social vulnerability on Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi Island and Maui:
In addition to social vulnerability risk mapping, the analysis modeled the average annual loss the state can expect to incur because of disasters, illustrating the huge financial consequences of not dealing with the risk proactively. Including hurricanes, floods, wildfires and earthquakes, the current average annual loss totals $1.4 billion. The average annual loss is expected to increase over the next 25 years as disasters intensify.
These numbers underscore the urgent need to take bold action that addresses our state’s vulnerabilities. Investing in disaster resilience now is the best way to save lives, communities, and money. The rapidly changing federal funding landscape makes it even more necessary for the state to invest in disaster-resilient and self-reliant communities. Disasters will happen and we cannot rely on federal funding to address critical resilience work that protects our most socially vulnerable populations.
The Climate Advisory Team (CAT) invites you to learn more about the analysis at its Legislative Update Webinar on Wednesday, April 16 at 10:00 a.m. Pre-registration is now open, and presentation slides will be available on the CAT website following the event.
