Hawaiʻi National Guard Pushes Through Rising Floodwaters During Hurricane Nolo

This is the moment a Hawaiʻi National Guard high-water vehicle pushes through flooded roads during the response to Hurricane Nolo on the Big Island.

The 11-second footage, posted on DVIDS on September 28, shows a specialized high-water vehicle driving through water covering the roadway on September 26. The clip does not show any rescues.

Koa Team 3 of Task Force Hawaiʻi conducted five high-water rescue missions that day, helping move 19 civilians to a shelter in Nāʻālehu.

About 120 soldiers and airmen were deployed on the Big Island, with six high-water vehicle teams staged at Keaukaha Military Reservation in Hilo.

The National Guard said its specialized vehicles were used to reach and assist residents affected by flooding and hazardous conditions while working alongside county and emergency response partners.

Hurricane Nolo passed south of Hawaiʻi Island as a Category 1 storm without making landfall. Rainfall on the Big Island reached roughly 10 to 20 inches in some areas, with sections of Highway 11 in Kaʻū closed because of flooding.