HONOLULU — The date was Sept. 11, 1992, 30 years ago come Sunday, when Hurricane Iniki, a Category 4 hurricane, made landfall on Kauai. The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency commemorates the event with a short documentary, “Lessons of Iniki,” shared by a few of the people who responded to and were affected by the disaster.

Iniki caused more than an unprecedented $3 billion in damages. Kauai was hardest hit with some communities reachable only by boat because of washed out bridges. Parts of the state had no electrical power for weeks. Storm damage forced tens of thousands of people to leave their homes. Rebuilding took years.

Because Iniki was a long time ago, memories fade and people naturally become complacent, especially since the hurricane season was mostly quiet for the state last year.

But with a warming climate that increases — has increased — extreme weather events around the world, HI-EMA asked, “What lessons did Iniki teach us, and do we still remember those lessons?”

The people interviewed in the documentary share personal stories with specific themes that emerged:

• The importance of timely and accurate information for public safety
• The need to make a plan and stock emergency supplies
• How Hawaii’s aloha spirit strengthens communities and connects neighbors who take care of each other when emergencies strike

“Iniki reshaped many of the ways we think about hurricanes in Hawaii: from how to warn the public and how to build structures, to how to clear the roadways and protect against future damage. In some ways, it laid the groundwork for building more resilient communities here in Hawaii,” according to HI-EMA’s news release.

View the video on HI-EMA’s website and YouTube channel.

Sarah Yamanaka covers events, environmental and community news for Spectrum News Hawaii.