HONOLULU (KHON2) — If you live near a coastline, stream or major body of water, you may want to look into getting flood insurance.
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The Federal Emergency Management Agency released new flood risk maps, revealing new areas that face a greater threat of flooding.
According to reports, FEMA began a re-study of Oahu’s flood hazards in 2019, where officials evaluated multiple streams across the island.
Wet Season Outlook with NOAA The re-study revealed multiple new high-risk flood zones and helped influence the significant updates FEMA made to its Flood Insurance Rate Maps.
Additionally, the new FIRMs have reclassified some properties within high-risk zones. Property owners who fall within the zone will be required to purchase flood insurance.
While officials said many mortgages will require flood insurance, some programs are available to help with discounts.
Residents part of FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program receive a 10% reduction in annual premiums.
Several federal and state agencies have partnered together to conduct an informational open house for Oahu residents, homeowners and business owners.
The first session will be held virtually on Nov. 4 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Participants can register for the event through the City and County’s Resilience Office website . Once registered, participants will receive a direct link to the webinar.
An in-person information session will be held on Nov. 6 from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Neal S. Blaisdell Center.
Both information sessions aim to provide information on topics such as the FIRM update process, changes to flood insurance requirements, how to protect your home from flooding and more.
To see if your property is affected, visit the Resilience Office’s website . All Oahu residents are encouraged to attend a session.
The updated maps are expected to be completed in 2026. To view the updated maps and preliminary FIRMs, visit FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center .
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