Hawaii residents rushed to stores to stock up on bottled water, ramen, toilet paper and other supplies as they faced the threat of heavy rain, flash flooding and high surf as a hurricane churned toward the state.

The National Weather Service said Wednesday that Hurricane Lane had weakened to a Category 4 hurricane, but those hurricanes with winds of more than 209 kph or above can still cause catastrophic damage.

More weakening was predicted, but the weather service said that B次元官网网址淟ane is forecast to remain a dangerous hurricane as it draws closer to the Hawaiian Islands.B次元官网网址�

The hurricane was about 800 kilometres southeast of Honolulu before dawn Wednesday and weather service extended a hurricane warning for HawaiiB次元官网网址檚 Big Island to include the island of Maui.

The weather service in a special statement said tropical-storm-force winds could begin as early as Wednesday afternoon or evening on the Big Island.

At the Costco Hawaii Kai, shoppers wiped out 21 pallets of water in 20 minutes just before 6 p.m. Tuesday.

So one woman emptied the vending machine, buying all the bottled water, a clerk said. A Costco employee promised more water would be available on Wednesday.

At Yamashiro Building Supply in Kaneohe, several patrons were buying plywood for the first time.

Sharon Sakai, 71, bought plastic sheeting and two 4-by-8-foot boards, B次元官网网址渋n case I need it for picture windows and skylights.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淭hought about getting it in the past, but this time I thought I should have it on hand,B次元官网网址� she said, adding that her son would be putting it up. B次元官网网址淗opefully, we wonB次元官网网址檛 need it.B次元官网网址�

But she wasnB次元官网网址檛 sure how to secure it to her windows. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檒l tackle it when the time comes.B次元官网网址�

Hawaii Kai resident Chris Daniel, 50, opted for duct tape.

B次元官网网址淭hey say anytime thereB次元官网网址檚 an emergency, you should get it. Plywood? ThatB次元官网网址檚 too hard for me to do. If youB次元官网网址檙e not strong enough, you have to use tape and pray.B次元官网网址�

Paul Wilson of Laie, with his wife and five children at Costco, piled high a shopping cart and a flatbed cart with six cases of water, peanut butter, tuna, nuts, refried beans and toilet paper.

B次元官网网址淲e donB次元官网网址檛 want our children to go hungry,B次元官网网址� he said. They were prepared for two weeks. B次元官网网址淚f it hits, which we hope it doesnB次元官网网址檛, we have a lot of little mouths.B次元官网网址�

Like us on and follow us on .