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Direct Relief continues to support communities across Hawaiʻi following a series of powerful Kona Low storms in March that brought extreme conditions across the islands. The first storm system (March 10–16) delivered hurricane-force wind gusts exceeding 135 mph on the Big Island and record-breaking rainfall of up to 62 inches on Maui. A second storm (March 19–23) compounded the damage, triggering widespread flooding, infrastructure disruptions, and ongoing public health risks.
In response, Direct Relief has delivered more than $232,000 in medical aid, totaling approximately 5,500 pounds of supplies and more than 50,000 defined daily doses of medications, to support communities across the state since March 21.
Direct Relief teams are on the ground meeting directly with community partners, working alongside mobile medical clinics with the Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition of Hawaiʻi, and assessing needs in real time. These efforts are focused on supporting displaced residents, strengthening outreach to unhoused populations, and addressing health risks tied to flooding and contaminated water.
Direct Relief has mobilized medical aid and financial support to health centers and community-based organizations across Oʻahu, Maui, Molokaʻi, and the Big Island. Working closely with local partners and state health officials, the organization is ensuring continuity of care while aligning support to the most urgent, partner-identified needs.
Response Highlights to Date
Statewide partner support: Aid delivered to a network of community health centers and nonprofits, including Waimānalo Health Center, Molokaʻi Ohana Health Care, Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center, Hawaiʻi HOME Project, Community Clinic of Maui, and Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition of Hawaiʻi, among others
Emergency airlift to Molokaʻi: In collaboration with Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies, Direct Relief coordinated delivery of essential supplies via charter flight to address access challenges on neighbor island
Oʻahu and North Shore outreach: Medical aid delivered to support flood-impacted communities, including supplies for mobile health, street medicine, and unhoused outreach teams
Medical Aid and Supplies Delivered
Medical aid reaches Health Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Hawaiʻi this week. (Shannon Hickerson/Direct Relief)
Direct Relief has provided essential medical and relief supplies aligned to partner-identified needs, including:
Essential medicines and OTC products requested by partners to meet urgent needs
Vaccines, including Tdap and Hepatitis B, to address post-flood health risks
Clinical treatment supplies to address exposure to contaminated water and debris, including wound care, eye wash, skin cleansers, irrigation supplies, bandages, and infection prevention materials (e.g., bacitracin, triple antibiotic ointment, sanitizer wipes, hand sanitizer)
Field medic packs to support mobile health, street medicine, and unhoused outreach
Emergency family hygiene kits and women’s hygiene kits for displaced families and individuals
Water purification supplies, including Puribags, to support safe drinking water during boil water advisories
Solar lights and solar chargers (in partnership with Unite to Light) to support communities experiencing power outages
Insect repellent to support the prevention of mosquito-related risks, including Zika virus, malaria, and general discomfort associated with bites
Additional shipments have included hundreds of emergency family hygiene kits, women’s hygiene kits, field medic packs, solar lighting units, and other partner-requested emergency supplies to address evolving conditions on the ground.
Emerging Health Risks in the Recovery Phase
As communities move from immediate response into cleanup and long-term recovery, a new set of health risks is emerging. Floodwaters and the thick mud left behind contains bacteria, chemicals, and debris, increasing the risk of skin infections, eye irritation, and gastrointestinal illness—particularly for those involved in cleanup efforts or living in heavily impacted areas. Standing water is also creating conditions for increased mosquito activity, while prolonged moisture exposure can lead to mold-related respiratory issues.
To address these evolving risks, Direct Relief has delivered targeted medical aid to support both clinical care and safe cleanup efforts. Recent shipments have included Tdap and Hepatitis B vaccines to help prevent infection following exposure, as well as clinical and protective supplies such as safety goggles, eye wash, skin cleansers, and irrigation solutions to treat and prevent contamination-related injuries. Additional items—including bacitracin, triple antibiotic ointment, bandages, sanitizer wipes, and hand sanitizer—are supporting wound care and infection prevention in the field. Supplies such as Lactated Ringer’s are also being provided to support clinical treatment where needed.
Beyond physical health risks, communities are also entering a phase where the mental and emotional impacts of the disaster begin to surface. As immediate needs are met and the initial urgency subsides, many individuals and families begin to process loss, displacement, and prolonged uncertainty. Supporting access to mental health care—including trusted local providers and community-based practitioners—is an essential part of recovery, particularly for those who have experienced repeated disasters or are already vulnerable.
This support is being deployed in close coordination with partners like the Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition of Hawaiʻi, whose mobile medical teams are working directly in affected communities—providing care, conducting outreach to families and individuals who have been displaced, and helping residents safely navigate cleanup conditions. Direct Relief teams have been working alongside these efforts, ensuring that supplies are aligned with real-time needs identified in the field and rapidly put to use where they are needed most.
A Model Built on Long-Term Partnership
Medical aid reaches Health Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Hawaiʻi this week. (Shannon Hickerson/Direct Relief)
Direct Relief’s response is made possible by the organization’s long-standing presence in Hawaiʻi, and its developed network of trusted healthcare and community partners embedded across the islands. The organization has supported communities across Hawaiʻi for many years, including during the devastating Maui wildfires in 2023, and maintains ongoing relationships that enable rapid, informed action when disasters strike.
By working through partners who are deeply rooted in their communities, Direct Relief is able to understand needs quickly and respond with the right support at the right time. This approach enables both immediate response and sustained recovery, grounded in the realities of each community.
Focus on Health and Recovery
Flooding of this scale creates immediate and longer-term health risks and can disrupt access to care long after waters recede. Direct Relief’s efforts focus on supporting healthcare providers and community organizations on the front lines so they can continue serving their communities—particularly those who are displaced, medically vulnerable, or experiencing homelessness.
Direct Relief remains committed to supporting communities before, during, and after disasters, recognizing that recovery is a long-term process that requires sustained partnership and support. Additional updates will be provided as information becomes available.
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