Hurricane Lane barreled toward Hawaii on Friday, dumping torrential rains that inundated the Big Island’s main city as people elsewhere stocked up on supplies and piled sandbags to shield oceanfront businesses against the increasingly violent surf.

The city of Hilo, population 43,000, was flooded with waist-high water. The National Guard and firefighters rescued six people and a dog from a flooded home. Five tourists from California were rescued from another home.

“There’s so much rain, the drainage is all saturated,” said Hawaii County Managing Director Wil Okabe. “We’re just letting nature take its course, getting water down to the ocean and responding to any rescues.”

Hawaii resident captures a major surge of the Wailuku River, which sent water crashing downstream as Hurricane Lane bears down. https://t.co/KBxiSdaupf pic.twitter.com/KXTRFu42zW — ABC News (@ABC) August 24, 2018

Here’s a photo taken today, Aug. 24, showing some of the damage in Olinda due to the impact of #HurricaneLane passing near the Hawaiian Islands. As of 8 a.m. today, the hurricane is a Category 2 system. We're still expecting major impacts the storm passes through the weekend. pic.twitter.com/AKFRo4S4in — Maui Electric (@MauiElectric) August 24, 2018

Our photographer captured this video today near the downtown-Chinatown area. What does it look like in your neighborhood? DM us your photos and videos. #HurricaneLane #Hawaii #HIwx #Oahu #Honolulu pic.twitter.com/m6mMrz66Fb — Star-Advertiser (@StarAdvertiser) August 24, 2018

VIDEO: Hurricane Lane turns roads to rivers in Hawaii pic.twitter.com/CAlW3rFKo2 — azcentral (@azcentral) August 24, 2018

Lifeguards in Hawaii urging everyone out of the water ahead of Hurricane Lane. Not having much success.@TheTodayShow pic.twitter.com/SOCwSrm5BQ — Charles Croucher (@ccroucher9) August 24, 2018

As much as 35 inches (89 centimeters) of rain fell on the island in 48 hours. On the east side, crews responded to landslides. The Category 2 storm was expected to turn west on Saturday before reaching the islands and skirting Oahu — the state’s most populated island. Even without making a direct hit, the system threatened to bring a huge storm surge, high wind, and heavy rain, forecasters said.

“There’s a lot of uncertainty in this forecast,” warned Federal Emergency Management Administrator Brock Long. “We hope all citizens are heeding the warning that local officials are putting out.”

On Oahu, gusts Friday morning rattled windows and roofs in Honolulu’s hillside neighborhood of Nuuanu overnight and scattered tree branches, palm fronds and at least one downed electrical line across roadways.

👂🏽: The Oahu alarms are going off now. It’s a little faint from my house, but can you hear it? #HuricaneLane pic.twitter.com/nQlRHyBWkV — carla herreria (@carlalove) August 24, 2018

Island wide emergency warning siren going off on Oahu pic.twitter.com/vFVq0eQATP — Chip Yost (@ChipYost) August 24, 2018

Video: large wave action on eastern point of Oahu ahead of slow moving #HurricaneLane @breakingweather @accuweather pic.twitter.com/5CSfIeaqiJ — Reed Timmer (@ReedTimmerAccu) August 24, 2018

Almost 16,000 homes and businesses on the islands lost electrical power as the outer edges of the hurricane battered the islands, but service was restored to a portion of them, Hawaiian Electric spokesman Peter Rosegg said.

A brushfire on the island of Maui forced the relocation of a hurricane shelter in Lahaina as nearby residents were evacuated. Fire officials said the fire jumped a highway and was approaching a gas station. The flames spread to 300 acres (121 hectares), and a woman who was burned in the hands and legs was flown to Honolulu, Maui County spokesman Rod Antone said.

So much for leaving the wildfires behind in the Pacific NW! Gusty wind and relatively *little* rain from #HurricaneLane here in NW Maui has fueled a brush fire. Smelling the smoke, hearing residents have been evacuated from their homes. Hope all are okay! #HIwx pic.twitter.com/8YWbexnKI1 — Shannon O'Donnell (@ShannonODKOMO) August 24, 2018

Winds from #hurricaneLane fueling brush fire in Kaanapali in Maui. Residents have been evacuated and now they’re hoping the rain comes soon. #bizarre pic.twitter.com/JrWDPmXVqt — Lyanne Melendez (@LyanneMelendez) August 24, 2018

HAPPENING NOW – Another view of a brush fire burning in Maui near the town of Kaanapali, HI. Thanks @TJ_Lukacs for the report. #hiwx #HurricaneLane pic.twitter.com/sZuHKL8aVQ — WeatherNation (@WeatherNation) August 24, 2018

A brush fire in West Maui burned at least 300 acres, injured at least one resident and forced the evacuation of hundreds of others. Details: https://t.co/Cf7XCieewY

Video: Courtesy Chris Speicher #Lahaina #HurricaneLane #HIwx pic.twitter.com/EHY5fXfxXm — Star-Advertiser (@StarAdvertiser) August 24, 2018

At 8:00 a.m. EST, the center of the hurricane was about 170 miles (274 kilometers) south of Honolulu and spinning north at two mph (3.2 kph). Local police warned tourists to evacuate the world-famous Waikiki Beach ahead of the storm’s arrival in Honolulu. Thus far, approximately 1,500 people, mostly on Oahu, were transported emergency shelters, according to Brad Kieserman of the American Red Cross.

The sun has set and the moon has risen above Waikiki Beach in #Honolulu. Light breeze that only intensifies as Hurricane #Lane approaches. Hurricane warning in effect for Oahu. pic.twitter.com/Aygf5ZlPDf — Mike Bettes (@mikebettes) August 23, 2018

Pretty sky tonight over Waikiki Beach well ahead of Hurricane Lane @accuweather pic.twitter.com/TliHVADVvb — Reed Timmer (@ReedTimmerAccu) August 23, 2018

Time lapse of last ten minutes over Waikiki Beach as clouds roll in #HurricaneLane pic.twitter.com/L2HbBHgy1H — Chip Yost (@ChipYost) August 24, 2018

Emergency crews rescued five California tourists from a home they were renting in Hilo after a nearby gulch overflowed and flooded the house on the Big Island. Vacationer Suzanne Demerais said a tiny waterfall and small stream near the home turned into a torrent. Hawaii County firefighters evacuated the friends from the Los Angeles area by floating them out on their backs. “It was quite an experience because we weren’t planning to have a hurricane during our vacation time,” Demerais said.

This is the view behind the UH Hilo dormitories. VC: Sue Lee Loy #HNN #HurricaneLane pic.twitter.com/QvuPVmZ9ET — Mahealani Richardson (@Mahealani) August 24, 2018

Hawaii photographer Ken Boyer told me that he saw "at least 30" homes flooded in Hilo. He filmed this house's yard, which was completely submerged by water. Heavy rains are expected across the state over the weekend. The risk for flash flooding is very real.#HurricaneLane pic.twitter.com/5JpFgQ13pw — carla herreria (@carlalove) August 24, 2018

HUGE powerful flash flood above Rainbow Falls, HI near HILO, Hawaii ahead of #HurricaneLane

Coverage for @accuweather @breakingweather pic.twitter.com/rEuwoOQ7m7 — Reed Timmer (@ReedTimmerAccu) August 24, 2018

Their cars couldn’t make it. They’re going to ignore evacuations, walk back and wait it out in Hilo on Reeds Island. #HurricanLane #TrackingTheStorm #Hilo #BigIsland pic.twitter.com/ozyiKSyTur — Lynn Kawano (@LynnKawano) August 24, 2018

Work continues on Saddle Road above Hilo between MM 10.5 and 11. Water is currently 2-3’ deep. #HawaiiIsland #Lane #hiwx pic.twitter.com/i9LrFCrKDJ — Hawaii DOT (@DOTHawaii) August 24, 2018

⚠️Devastating Flooding in Hawaii⚠️

Hurricane Lane has brought rainfall rates as high as 3 to 4 inches to the city of Hilo, #Hawaii on Thursday. #HIwx pic.twitter.com/KvG0AxUW6b — WeatherNation (@WeatherNation) August 24, 2018

WATCH: Hurricane Lane brings torrential rain to Hilo, Hawaii Thursday. The National Weather Service says parts of Hawaii got 35 inches of rain in 48 hours. The rain is expected to continue through the weekend. pic.twitter.com/erPfLiO8J6 — CBS 21 News (@CBS21NEWS) August 24, 2018

As #HurricaneLane bears down on Hawaii, @ReedTimmerAccu reports from Hilo where downpours of have triggered major flooding and landslides across Hawaii. pic.twitter.com/0PYR9zXERk — AccuWeather (@accuweather) August 24, 2018

In Honolulu, employees of the Sheraton Waikiki resort filled sandbags to protect the oceanfront hotel from surging surf.

Parks remain closed today, with the closures extended to Saturday. This is for all City park facilities including Botanical Gardens and Hanauma Bay. Our People’s Open Markets will be closed Saturday AND Sunday. Wind speeds are increasing. Waikīkī was very gusty @MayorKirkHNL pic.twitter.com/11hX0Bj5mH — Honolulu DPR (@honolulu_parks) August 24, 2018

Stores along Waikiki’s glitzy Kalakaua Avenue stacked sandbags along the bottom of their glass windows to prepare for flash flooding.

The Marriott Resort Waikiki Beach in Honolulu designated a ballroom on the third floor as a shelter for guests and began removing lounge chairs from around the pool and bar area. At the Hilton Hawaiian Village, guest Elisabeth Brinson revealed the hotel staff left a notice that rooms will still have water and phone service, and a backup generator would power one elevator per building in the event of an electrical outage.

11am: #Lane is still creeping northward. A Tropical Storm Watch has replaced the Hurricane Watch for Kauai. Conditions are still expected to worsen as the day goes on and into overnight for Maui and Honolulu Counties, where tropical storm conditions have already been felt. #hiwx pic.twitter.com/BvaGwGlfow — NWSHonolulu (@NWSHonolulu) August 24, 2018

Brinson, a native of the United Kingdom now living in Denver, said many shops were closed, and those still open were frantic with people buying food, beer, and water to take back to their rooms. “We knew it was coming, so I tried to just cram as much as I could into the last few days in anticipation so we could cross things off of our list,” said Brinson, who is used to hurricanes after living in Florida.

United Airlines canceled its Friday flights to and from Maui. The airline added two more flights from Honolulu to San Francisco on Thursday to help transport people off the islands. Hawaiian Airlines canceled all Friday flights by its commuter carrier, Ohana by Hawaiian. Some Hawaiian Airlines flights from the West Coast to Maui were delayed, but flights from the mainland to other destinations in Hawaii are operating as normal, said airline spokesman Alex Da Silva.

Flights are operating today. However, Hurricane #Lane conditions have caused certain West Coast to Maui flights to be delayed, and some interisland flights have been canceled. We encourage guests to please continue checking the status of your flight here: https://t.co/ruqBv9IxmJ. — Hawaiian Airlines (@HawaiianAir) August 24, 2018

The biggest hotels were confident they could keep their guests safe as long as they stay inside, said Mufi Hannemann, CEO of Hawaii Tourism and Lodging Association. “The only concern is those that venture outside of the properties, that would like to hike on a day like this or who would like to still go into the ocean and see what it’s like to take a swim or surf in these kind of waters,” Hannemann said in a statement.

The central Pacific gets fewer hurricanes than other regions, with about only four or five named storms a year. Hawaii rarely gets hit. The last major storm to hit was Iniki in 1992. Others have come close in recent years.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency moved several container ships packed with food, water, generators and other supplies into the region ahead of Hurricane Hector, which skirted past the islands more than a week ago, Long said. Warehouses were double-stocked with emergency supplies, and federal officials were working with grocers to ensure stores would have enough food.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.