Storm surge produced widespread flooding along the coastline. It looked like giant claws had scraped the coastline, she said. Dr. Richard Guttler gave a thumbs up despite the damage to his Poipu home. The latest proposal is still alive after a Utah company bought the property for $22 million in a foreclosure auction last year, with plans to knock down the old structure and build a 350-room resort. Storm surge, an abnormal rise of water generated by a storm. Hurricane Hazards Gallery. The hurricane had a profound effect on the people who survived it, too. The storm devastated the island, causing millions of dollars in damage, killing six, and injuring more than 100.
On Sept. 11, 1992, Iniki made landfall on the south side of Kauai with winds blasting at 145 mph. Iniki caused $1.8 billion in damage. "They were phenomenal," Paulette Brutner, an employee at the Kokee Museum, said of the Army and Red Cross. Collect, curate and comment on your files. In 1992, Hurricane Iniki hit Kauai, causing 2.4 billion dollars in damage. Andrew caused major damage in the Bahamas and Louisiana as well, but it was the most destructive hurricane in Florida's history.
Damage from Hurricane Iniki remains on Kauai 30 years later Discovery Company. Meanwhile, FEMA has distributed more than $250 million and the Small Business Administration $138 million.
Hurricane Iniki was the most destructive hurricane to hit the islands of Hawaii over this century and is the third in the U.S. history to be the most damaging. Of the nearly 22,000 residents on the island at the time, almost all experienced some kind of damage to their property. It hit on Sept. 11, 1992 the strongest storm in modern Hawaii history. Roads and utilities have been almost completely restored despite the snapping of more than 5,000 poles. Iniki was a small but intense hurricane (minimal category Four) which made landfall on Kauai where it killed six people and caused $2.5 billion in damage. Iniki "was the most destructive hurricane to strike Hawaii in the 20th century." When the center of Iniki came onshore, sustained winds were blowing at 140 miles per hour, with gusts up to 175 mph and even stronger in mountain passes. Photo: [David Rudawitz, N6QXQ, a Red Cross volunteer from Anaheim, California, supervises damage assessment at Poipu Beach. Waves 25 feet high caused the worst damage. In 1992, Hurricane Iniki hit Kauai, causing 2.4 billion dollars in damage. ", 'THIS IS IT': 30-YEAR-OLD AUDIO RECOUNTS FAMILY'S FEAR AS HURRICANE ANDREW SHREDDED THEIR HOME. In addition to the considerable damage on land, boats in the harbors were hit hard, with many of them tossed onshore like toys and completely destroyed. There is still damage on the island decades later. . Hawaiian landfalling hurricanes are historically pretty rare. In 2015, Hawaii faced three Category 4 hurricanes at the same timeKilo, Ignacio, and Jimena.
The problem, explains Tom Telfer, district wildlife biologist for Hawaii's Department of Land and Natural Resources, is that the double-blow of Iwa and Iniki has knocked out native species and given non-natives, such as the weed clidemia, room to take over. If not for this disaster ($3.1 billion of damage in a community of just 51,000) and my father's death in 1996, my family would not have our financial issues. When Hurricane Iniki was south of Kauai, winds were estimated to be between 145 mph-175 mph wind, as it moved over Kauai, the wind miles per hour dropped to 130-160. Please use the links below for donations: It was the second and final named hurricane to make landfall in Hawaii since Hurricane Dot in 1959. When Kawakami remembers Iniki, what comes to mind is the fact he had just made the Kauai High School varsity football team as a sophomore. On September 11, 1992, Hurricane Iniki struck Kauai, causing over $3 billion in damage and six deaths. On Sept. 11, 1992, Hurricane Iniki scoured . In actual dollar value, this would make Iniki the . Fleeson said he bid the job by studying aerial photographs of the ravaged unit published in the San Francisco Chronicle. "Some people are cautious about bringing visitors back too soon.". Here's a link to a photo of the path of the hurricane (scroll down to view image).
Hurricane Iniki hits Hawaii - UPI Archives There is still damag. It was adesignated shelter, and about 1,200 people took refuge from the hurricane there. PHOTOS: 28 years ago, Hurricane Iniki devastated Kauai, Former Mililani High athletic director indicted, 'The Other Side of Paradise' with Lynn Kawano, KHNLPUBLICFILE@HAWAIINEWSNOW.COM (808) 847-3246, KGMBPUBLICFILE@HAWAIINEWSNOW.COM (808) 847-3246, KFVEPUBLICFILE@HAWAIINEWSNOW.COM (808) 847-3246, KSIXPUBLICFILE@HAWAIINEWSNOW.COM (808) 847-3246, KOGGPUBLICFILE@HAWAIINEWSNOW.COM (808) 847-3246. Hawaii Hurricane Devastates Kauai Iniki Blamed For 3 Deaths, Scores of Injuries By Al Kamen . All Rights Reserved. More common are stripped trees sprouting new growth, or dead ones with a fast-rising understory once more cloaking the mountains in green. (Photo copyright NOAA). Federal officials said Iniki (pronounced ee-NEE-kee), which had 160 mph wind gusts, was slightly weaker than Hurricane Andrew, which hit the Bahamas and then devastated southern Florida and parts . The arduous cleanup and rebuilding would go on for years, with one Poipu hotel not reopening for 16 years. . The storm caused over $1.8 billion in damages, 1,400 destroyed homes and resulted in six deaths. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Seven tents at Niumalu hold homeless Kauai families; the rest hold construction workers. LIHUE, Hawaii - The island of Kauai is known for its untouched, natural beauty, but 30 years ago, the most destructive storm in Hawaii's history, Hurricane Iniki, ravaged the island with 145 mph winds catching many residents and tourists off-guard. There were places on the south shore that were inundated, houses were knocked off their foundations and vehicles were gone. The devastation was overwhelming, she recalled in an interview last week. The death toll of four was remarkably small for an intense hurricane. Both skilled labor and construction supplies specially suited for the tropics must be imported, much of it from the Pacific Northwest.
The 30th Anniversary Of Iniki - Hawaii's Most Deadly and Destructive 2023 Getty Images. All STAR-ADVERTISER / 1992 On Sept. 11, 1992, Iniki made landfall on the south side of Kauai with winds blasting at. But he can take his surfboard out into a near-empty cove now. MEMORIES OF the costliest and most powerful storm on record to strike Hawaii will forever be seared in the minds of the two mayors, one who was leading at the time and the other who experienced the devastation through the eyes of a teenager. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. . That wind it was an ominous sound, Kawakami said. The warning sirens started blaring early that morning and the hours before impact were chaotic. Dickie Chang, who worked at a resort in Kauai at the time, told CNN affiliate KHON last year that the memories of the storm and its brutal aftermath are still vivid for him. The dilapidated structure sits on busy Kuhio Highway despite proposals by a number of developers over the years to bring the resort back to life. HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - At 8 a.m. on Sept. 11, 1992, Hurricane Iniki reached its peak intensity and was headed straight for . Photo from Hurricane Iniki. Hurricane damage to Church. Hurricanes cause widespread and extensive damage from high winds, dangerous surf, and flooding. Not knowing that he had not been told yet about the impending hurricane," said Sue Kanoho, executive director of the Kauai Visitors Bureau. It passed just west of Kauai, causing severe property damage, minor physical injuries and one death. But now this island without seasons is experiencing a spring. For the disaster response, Yukimura gave lots of credit to Tom Batey, her managing director, a veteran Hawaii State Civil Defense official who took up his new position only a month prior to Iniki. Yukimura is the first mayor to be elected on Kauai who has expressed some skepticism of development, winning on her third try.
Hurricane Iniki Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images Islamic Center of Cleveland is a non-profit organization. Now the hotel is planning to rebuild again. blow that came with Iniki.
PHOTOS: 28 years ago, Hurricane Iniki devastated Kauai - Hawaii News Now Some Kauai palms look as blasted on top as those in films of World War II, and occasional patches of fragile trees look like they were hit by artillery. The county wants to impose a $750-a-month camping fee to clear parks of squatters before tourists return. Hurricane Iniki: 20 Years Later. PROBE: Researchers find much of the wind-induced damage to homes could have been prevented Continued from Page A-l the team was Gregory Chiu, a . "A lot of people are comparing the similarities between Iniki and Lane," he said. Eugene O'neill Biography, The department also tells us that, "In its wake, Iniki left a path of destruction expected to approach 1.8 billion dollars. Well, the couple of hours that you see devastation is Mother Nature at its worst, but when you see the aftermath of rebuilding, no water, no electricity, and sorrow and devastation and drama and domestics, whatever you want to call it, its a major stress factor on any human being and I say that because nobody would know how to prepare, he told KHON. Kawakami was a courtesy clerk at the store, and he specifically remembers the anguish and concern on the faces of the folks who lined up to get in to shop that day. The destructive force of hurricanes in Hawaii was powerfully demonstrated on 11 September 1992 when Hurricane Iniki struck the island of Kauai with sustained winds of 130 mph and caused over $2.3 billion in property . Pretty terrifying.". Only six deaths were reported. HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - At 8 a.m. on Sept. 11, 1992, Hurricane Iniki reached its peak intensity and was headed straight for Kauai. Then Iniki hit, the waves hurling logs and rocks into the oceanside rooms. On 11 September 1992, Iniki was located just south of the island of Kauai moving northward at 30 mi/h (48 km/h) with winds of 145 mi/h (233 km/h) and gusts up to 175 mi/h (281 km/h) ( U.S. Department of Commerce, 1993 ). Hurricane Iniki was packing 140 mph winds went it made landfall on Kauai. On Oahu, officials estimated that a third of the population evacuated. Enjoy this free story! It hit on Sept. 11, 1992 the strongest storm in modern Hawaii history. (Photo copyright NOAA NWS). On Sept. 11, 1992, Iniki made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane on the island of Kauai. A photo of a Kauai business building struck by Hurricane Iniki in 1992. It was not until Yukimura saw the Koloa Mill that she finally got her bearings.
About 100 people were injured from the storm. Until the 2005 Hurricane Katrina, Iniki was the thrd most destructive hurricane in U. S. history and the most destructive to hit the Hawaiian Islands in the 20th Century. Andrew caused major damage in the Bahamas and Louisiana as well, but it was the most destructive hurricane in Florida's history. Other islands, however, have seen bookings surge since Iniki caused Kauai visitors to switch to other resorts. Hurricane Lane didn't hit any of the islands. Hurricane shutter open. He misses not seeing the typical sunbathers outside his windows each day. We take storms seriously on Kauai, he said, adding that the islands resiliency was demonstrated following the 50-inch rain bomb event of 2018, which caused $180 million in damage, wrecked hundreds of homes and unleashed landslides that cut off the islands north shore communities for months. Photo by Anne Schrager, special to the Chronicle . "It was almost a million dollars of damage on our property alone," Ota said about Hurricane Iniki. Early in the day on November 19, it had organized into a tropical storm but later that same . 500 Ala Moana Blvd. A once-thriving business building in Hanapepe, Kauai stands derelict on Sept. 5, 2002, untouched ten years after its destruction by Hurricane Iniki in 1992. Showing results for hurricane iniki. Thirty years ago, Hurricane Iniki ravaged the Island of Kauai, destroying more than 1,400 homes and leaving behind $3 billion in damage. Next to him was his daughter, Jenn. Some 4,000 others sustained serious damage. Only four hurricanes have impacted the islands since 1950. 7 FACTS TO KNOW ABOUT HURRICANES Iniki's high winds stripped foliage from trees and branches. LIHUE, KAUAI (HawaiiNewsNow) - Twenty years ago, Hurricane Iniki roared across our islands. "At first you're depressed," he said. 1982 - Hurricane Iwa: Hurricane Iwa was a category one hurricane was the most damaging, to date, to hit Hawaii. Landslides on the steep and spectacular Na Pali coast to the north may also take a long time to repair, he warned. Residents described this place as looking like a "plucked chicken" after Iniki, the worst hurricane in Hawaiian history, struck Sept. 11. The island of Hawaii had massive amounts of rain, it's the island that saw the worst effects. It was quite apparent that Kauai sustained considerable damage to the island's electrical, water, and communication infrastructure. Saturday, September 26, 1992 iSIctin FROM PAGE ONE . The storm caused more than $7 billion in damage when adjusted for inflation, according to a 2014 University of Hawaii study. Hurricane Iniki made us realize what was truly important, the former mayor said in a statement of remembrance issued Friday.
Inland Damage from Hurricanes | Journal of Coastal Research Some users may need to click herefor more photos.
Hurricane Iniki 30 years later: How a monster storm in Hawaii impacted The Shido Building, which is now painted red and marked circa 1923, still stands and is visible in the background. "Running, running all over the place, making sure everything was running smoothly," said Colburn. "By the time the hotels are rebuilt, it will be difficult for tourists to notice the damage.". It knocked down thousands of utility poles, cutting off power. Heavy waves battered coastal areas of southern . (Andre Seale/VW PICS/Universal Images Group via Getty Images). The famed tunnel of eucalyptus trees near Koloa, a town on the southern coast, became a tunnel of toothpicks after Iniki struck. Everyone is stressed out.". Iniki is the costliest natural disaster in Hawaiian history. John Waihee.
A Tale of Two Hurricanes: Lane & Iniki - CoreLogic In 1982 most hotels and other facilities were back in business a month . A NOAA summary of the storm lays out the devastation Iniki caused, particularly for Kauai but also for nearby Oahu. Yet she made a trip to Japan recently to promote tourism recovery. FORT SHAFTER, Hawaii (May 31, 2013) -- Hurricane Iniki, the most powerful hurricane to strike in Hawaii in recorded history, struck the island of Kauai at full intensity with 145 mph winds which . Hurricane Lane, ultimately, a low impact storm. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. When it seemed we had lost everything, we realized we had a lot our lives, our loved ones, our neighbors and friends, and the will to rebuild better and stronger. YUKIMURA WAS at an Oahu fundraiser on Sept. 10 but was summoned home late that night, hitching a ride on a military flight. There are still 54 tents and 82 people in that camp, one of nine such camps.
FROM THE ARCHIVES: 20 years later, Kauai residents remember Iniki Hurricane Iniki On September 11, 1992, the residents of the state of Hawai'i were awakened at 5:30am by Civil Defense alarms. Cars crushed by utility poles were a common sight in Lihue the morning after Iniki passed through Kauai. Hawaii. Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. 5centsEdmonton. Total cost of damages was around $1.8 billion (which is more like $3 billion in 2016 dollars). Iniki was accompanied by storm tides ranging from 4.5 to 6.3 feet above normal, with 20 to 35 foot storm waves. "It was devastating. Ten years ago, Hurricane Iwa hit Kauai with 110 m.p.h. "These guys are not here to get rich, they are here to help us put the island back together," she said of the workers.
Hurricane Iniki Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images It hit the islands of Hawaii on September 11, 1992. The more ominous long-term worry is whether hurricane fears will keep tourists away. Comparing Iniki to Irma on the 25th Anniversary | Maui Now. Four weeks into the disaster, only 20% of the islands electricity was restored. Hurricane Iniki was the third most damaging hurricane in U.S. history, and the most destructive to hit the Hawaiian Islands in this century.
Hurricane Iniki of September 5 - 13, 1992 in the Hawaiian Islands Adjusted for inflation . Bass Pro Black Friday 2021, USA. Updated Those restaurants still open are crowded with construction workers - some from the Seattle area - instead of tourists. Such mutual aid was typical. Hurricane Iniki was the most powerful hurricane in recent memory to hit the Hawaiian Islands. He said the coordination between local and federal agencies was a "textbook" disaster response. (Photo copyright NOAA NWS) All rights reserved. Many Kauaians already are forced to hold more than one job because of the high cost of living.
HURRICANE INIKI IN THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS - September 11, 1992, by Dr Even the roof of this building being used by the Red Cross was not spared damage from Hurricane Iniki. "After a disaster like this, people tend to become closer," said Elizabeth Kawamura, public-relations representative for the two-year-old Hyatt Regency Kauai. Storm surge can cause extensive flood damage to structures near shorelines, even those that are not usually prone to flooding. Dennis Fujimoto / AP 1982, Hurricane Iwa : This storm caused severe property damage and one death. Meanwhile, 30-foot waves and a 6-foot storm surge pounded the island's south shore, destroying more than 60 beachfront homes and seriously damaging all of the coastal hotels and condos. Scene from 1993 motion picture Jurassic Park Also see other NOAA images including hurricanes . #7-500
Iniki was the third most-damaging hurricane in U.S. history, after Andrew, which struck Florida in August, and Hugo, which devastated parts of the Southeast in 1989. Ten years after Hurricane Iwa, a Category 1 storm, ravaged the island, Kauai was decimated again. Hurricane Iniki Chickens. Similar to Hurricane Andrew, which struck Florida only a couple of weeks before, there are few signs still around today from the 1992 storm. Kauais economy only returned to pre-Iniki levels seven or eight years after the storm, according to the 2014 study by the UH Economic Research Organization, and still hadnt rebounded in terms of its population and labor force. The storm caused over $1.8 billion in damages, 1,400 destroyed homes and resulted in six deaths. Kapaas Kuhio Highway and Kauwila Street now. The storm caused over $1.8 billion in damages, 1,400 destroyed homes and resulted in six deaths. It was a small but intense hurricane which was classified as a minimal category Four on the Saffir-Simpson scale. Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand.
Deadly Storms That Tore Through America, From The 1800s To Today The hurricane wreaked havoc on the islands electrical and phone systems as well. It was the worst thing we've survived in my 35 years here," Kanoho said. 2018 Islamic Center of Cleveland. Andrew passed directly through Homestead, Florida and completely disseminated several blocks of houses, stripping them down to their foundations. All Rights Reserved. "Nobody wants tourists right now anyway. 6 Hurricane Iniki Premium High Res Photos Browse 6 hurricane iniki stock photos and images available, or search for hurricane ingrid to find more great stock photos and pictures. Kauai has heard that before, and a Kauai Planning Commission meeting last month drew dozens of unhappy residents to testify in opposition to the latest resort plans. When it seemed we had lost everything, we realized we had a lot our lives, our loved ones, our neighbors and friends, and the will to rebuild better and stronger, she said. The storm was aptly named, as Iniki means strong and piercing wind in . Photo Credit-Wikimedia Commons-Public Domain. That was the memo that the mayor of New Orleans didnt send after Katrina, and it caused a lot of trouble, Yukimura said. Extensive damage from Hurricane Iniki is seen in Kapaa in the 1992 photo. Wind was the biggest factor driving the destruction, but dozens of homes and buildings along the coast were destroyed due to surf damage, and all of the major resorts were rendered inoperable, especially those along the South Shore, where 22-foot wave surges swept as much as 800 feet inland. Shayda Marciel, a former cashier at the Sheraton, has worked as a security guard at the wounded resort since the storm and, until a week ago, her family lived in a tent in their roofless living room. 1992, Hurricane Iniki: This was the most devastating hurricane to ever strike Hawaii. Hurricane Iniki was the third most damaging hurricane in U.S. history, and the most destructive to hit the Hawaiian Islands in this century. "We don't want people to feel the island was destroyed, but we want to warn them of our limitations," explained JoAnn Yukimura, mayor of Kauai County. All rights reserved. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. After two bad hurricanes, he said, the state shouldn't allow rebuilding on Poipu within 100 yards of the beach. Even all these years later, Iniki remains the most powerful hurricane to hit the state in modern history. Nicholas Barretto on Twitter: "Hurricane Iniki was the most powerful hurricane ever recorded to strike .
Hurricane Iwa of November 19- 25, 1982 in the Hawaiian Islands The good news in the short run is that much of Kauai will be rebuilt in the next year. mayport naval station zip code Kawakami was asked by his father, Charles Kawakami, president and CEO of Big Save Markets, to drive him in his 4-by-4 vehicle to the Lihue store so he could assess the damage along with a Civil Defense official. Iniki has given fast-developing Kauai an enforced breather to consider growth issues. A Warner Bros. Hurricane Iwa in 1982 and Hurricane Iniki in 1992 were especially destructive, causing billions of dollars in damage, especially on Kaua'i. 2023 Cable News Network. The Category 4 storm Hurricane Lane currently approaching Hawaii is the biggest weather threat the islands have faced in years. Kauai resident Mike Miranda was 12 when Hurricane Iniki devastated the island 26 years ago. Read more. . Earlier on the day after the storm, 15-year-old Derek Kawakami, who would go on to become the current mayor of Kauai, emerged from his relatively unscathed Lihue home into a scene of broken trees, blown roofs, downed power lines and scattered debris. "It was a long night sitting there wondering what happened to the rest of the island, and if everybody was okay, if we were the lucky ones or the unfortunate ones. A Navy instrument on a 1,500-foot-high ridge recorded a gust of 227 mph before it was swept away. That suggestion is unlikely to be taken seriously.
of 1 winds, mild compared with the 165 m.p.h. Travelers who return now. Browse 3 hurricane_iniki stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. TODAY, THERE arent a lot of visual reminders of Hurricane Iniki on Kauai with one rather large exception: the Coco Palms Resort. Without a plethora of media sources, many tourists on the island didn't know about the impending disaster, including a man named Steven Spielberg. Collect, curate and comment on your files. Check Six - 1992: Hurricane Iniki Response. Repair crews are swarming like bees on roofs all over the island. "Ironically, I was stuck in the hotel that they were staying at, And the next morning I was looking at Jeff Goldblum and Laura Dern on a balcony, and I said, 'I'm so sorry,'" Kanoho recounted.
The Steven Spielberg production crew filming the movie "Jurassic Park" was trapped by the hurricane at the Westin Kauai and rode out the storm in the ballroom with other guests. Hurricane strikes on the fiftieth state are rare, but a major hit is even more extreme.
The director was with his cast and crew on the island filming, what would become one of the highest-grossing movies of all time, Jurassic Park. Read this story for free: Watch an ad or complete a survey, Hawaii Real Estate Sales: Aug. 1 Aug. 5, 2022, By Timothy Hurley thurley@staradvertiser.com. appreciated. Hurricane Florence. Mahoning Valley Scrappers Tickets. That made it the third-costliest United States hurricane at the time, behind Hurricane Hugo in 1989 and Hurricane Andrew in August 1992, one month prior to Iniki. Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. Already a subscriber? "So I thanked him for filming here, and I said, 'don't worry, you guys will be gone before the hurricane hits.' (Murray Close/Sygma/Sygma via Getty Images), (Andre Seale/VW PICS/Universal Images Group via Getty Images), Hurricane Iniki, Hawaii's strongest hurricane, hit the island 30 years ago. Six people died in incidents connected to the storm, including a National Guardsman who was killed when his truck overturned trying to avoid live wires during storm cleanup. Local officials reported that 12,000. Most islanders have found housing, and many of the remaining tents are occupied by construction workers trying to save on rent. More than 2,000 houses on Kauai were destroyed or rendered uninhabitable. (AP Photo) Updated on Jul 27, 2020 12:49 PM IST Share Via Hurricane Iniki formed up in the South Pacific, slowly approaching Hawaii in a very indirect route, approaching and veering alternately as sort of a tease. But, as this The impact was devastating, killing six, injuring more than 100 and causing . Typical of the human imports is John Dodge, a wallboard finisher from Seattle working 60-hour, seven-day weeks to reopen the oceanside Mokihana condominium and Bullshed restaurant in Kapaa. LIHUE, KAUAI (HawaiiNewsNow) - Twenty years ago, Hurricane Iniki roared across our islands. It was during the 1991-1994 El Nino that hurricanes such as Iniki were formed along the Central Pacific. In 2015, Hawaii faced three Category 4 hurricanes at the same time .
HURRICANES IN HAWAII - University of Hawaii We went back to visit Kauai in 2007 and was sad to see what the Iniki hurricane did to the place. KAUAI COUNTY, HAWAII (KITV4) -- Thirty years ago, Hurricane Iniki ravaged the Island of Kauai, destroying more than 1,400 homes and leaving behind $3 billion in damage. In 1992, Hurricane Iniki damaged or destroyed 41 percent of the island's homes.
The aftermath is things that people dont even think about, and the aftermath is devastating, Chang said. Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Matthew West . 1992, Hurricane Iniki: This was the most devastating hurricane to ever strike Hawaii. When Iniki moved over Kauai in the afternoon of September 11, 1992, wind speeds were estimated at 130 mph with gusts to 160 mph, and its central pressure was approximately 945 millibars. Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. 30 years ago, the most destructive storm in Hawaii's history, Hurricane Iniki, ravaged the island with 145 mph winds catching many residents and tourists off-guard. Still, "It is remarkable how fast nature recovers from these things," he said. Prior to Iniki, Iwa was the most damaging hurricane to hit Hawaii. During the scene when a storm hits the imaginary island, waves are splashing upon the rocks and the shore as John Hammond, the CEO and creator of Jurassic Park, called for the evacuation of the dinosaur tour. More than 5,000 utility poles were downed across the island, and the power company, called Kauai Electric back then, had even more challenges closer to home.