Hawaii Tallies Latest Flood Damage

"We're nowhere near looking at monetary losses to structures,'' Lovell said. "There is no figure. We are still just trying to get numbers of houses or businesses that were damaged and look at what that damage involved.''

About 200 homes on Oahu were affected, with 47 considered to have "major'' damage such as water above electrical outlets, Lovell said. Roughly 20 were expected to be deemed destroyed.

On Kauai, Civil Defense Agency officials had received nearly 40 calls as of last Tuesday from residents reporting about $1.8 million in damage.

The reported damage included vehicles, home appliances, lawn equipment, roof damage, beds and personal items, as well as downed trees. Only about half of the reports included damage estimates.

One large claim totaled $1.25 million, and the rest totaled about $550,000.

Last Wednesday, the state opened Disaster Assistance and Recovery Centers to help flood victims. Four will be open at various locations through Saturday.

Meanwhile, the Red Cross estimates it will need to raise $100,000 to help flood victims with things like food, clothing and rent.

"It's something terrible that happened that was beyond their control,'' Coralie Chun Matayoshi, CEO of the Hawaii Red Cross, said.

Like state officials, Red Cross volunteers identified more than 200 affected homes, but the organization estimates only 36 with major damage. The difference in numbers is due to different criteria used by the respective agencies.

The Red Cross has distributed truckloads of recovery items and supplies like tarps, blankets, shovels, rope and cleaning kits, mostly to the hardest hit areas of Waianae, North Shore, Laie and Mililani.

Initially, six Red Cross shelters held about 60 people. Most have moved in temporarily with relatives or friends and as of Tuesday night, only 12 people remained in one shelter in Laie, Matayoshi said.

Clara Cambra was among those at the Waianae shelter.

"The water was like a rushing river, and it took my home on Waianae Valley Road off its foundation,'' she said. "I'm looking for somebody who can tell me what I should do.''

Red Cross volunteer John Wachholtz said there was a lot more damage from this storm than in 2006 during the 40 days of rain.

"That's what I've been hearing from everybody,'' he said.

Farms in rural Waialua were caught Dec. 11 by a flash flood that reportedly carried away trees, cars and practically anything else in its path.

Sheri Khamlong, 38, who farms vegetables and lei flowers, was swept away as she clung to a pair of pet chihuahuas.

"I got caught in the big rush at around 7:30 a.m.,'' she said. "The water was already above my chest. My chihuahuas were both pregnant, so I couldn't leave them. So I carried them with me.''

She and the dogs survived, but she lost her home and her vegetable crops. She and her husband, Ouan Khamlong, have been staying with friends and relatives, and spending a lot of time in their van. They'll try to move to higher ground on the property later, she said.

They had no insurance, and aren't sure what they'll do. But they're grateful for the Red Cross help they've received.

"We'll be OK,'' she said.