Census Bureau Says 171,000 People on Hawaii’s Big Island Brace for Hurricane Flossie

The U.S. Census Bureau estimates 171,000 people living on Hawaii’s Big Island could be impacted by Hurricane Flossie - the first hurricane to reach Hawaii since 1992 when Hurricane Iniki did extensive damage to the islands of Kauai and Oahu.

A tropical storm warning, hurricane watch and flash flood watch are in effect for the Big Island of Hawaii as Hurricane Flossie threatens to dump up to 10 inches or more of rain as it passes about 390 miles southeast of Honolulu, according to the latest advisories by the Central Pacific Hurricane Center.

According to the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, the median housing value on the Big Island (Hawaii County) was $329,900 in 2005, and nearly half the homes in Hawaii County were built more than 25 years ago. The median household income was about $48,500, and about 13 percent of the household population lived in poverty. Additionally, about 5 percent of the island’s occupied homes were without access to a vehicle.

As the Pacific and Atlantic hurricane seasons progress, the Census Bureau will continue to post information on its Hurricane Data and Emergency Preparedness Web page http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/emergencies/index.html.