US: Hawaii braces for category one hurricane

US state Hawaii is braced for a category one hurricane expected to pass this weekend.

While forecasters said there was little chance of a direct hit, a flash flood watch remains in effect for the entire weekend, and a state of emergency has been declared.

Schools on the mountainous Big Island closed and sports fixtures were cancelled so the Red Cross could open five emergency shelters in anticipation of the hurricane.

But not everybody seemed worried.

“We went snorkeling this morning and just as we were getting out they were clearing everybody off the beach. Just a precaution I’m sure,” mused Dennis Danz, a tourist from the US state of Oregon.

The last hurricane to hit Hawaii was in 1992 when it brought winds of more than 225 kilometers an hour killing six people and causing 2.4 billion dollars worth of damage.