Rare Hawaiian hurricane, packing strong winds and rains, approaches islands

A satellite image shows Hurricane Douglas (bottom L) in the Pacific Ocean and approaching the islands of Hawaii, U.S., July 26, 2020. NOAA/Handout via REUTERS

MAUI, Hawaii (Reuters) - Hurricane Douglas bore down on Hawaii on Sunday packing torrential rains and damaging winds as it churned just east of the islands in the central Pacific, forecasters said, with one local leader urging residents to be prepared for the worst.

Douglas was expected to make landfall or pass close to the main Hawaiian islands from Maui to Kauai later in the day or into the evening, the Miami-based U.S. National Hurricane Center said. Sirens blared on Maui on Sunday morning as palm trees swayed in the wind and white-cap waves crashed against the island's shores, video aired on local television showed.