Hurricane Lowell batters Hawaii with widespread outages, flooding threats

In the early hours of a Tuesday in September, Hurricane Lowell made its presence felt across the Hawaiian Islands, visiting upon Kauai in particular the ancient reckoning of wind, water, and isolation. Nearly all of the island's residents lost power, roads were swallowed by boulders and debris, and the rain fell in quantities that reminded those who live close to the land how thin the margin between shelter and exposure truly is. The storm has since moved on, but it leaves behind the slower, quieter emergency of flooded roads, vulnerable people, and a community beginning the long work of count