Hawaii is emptying out the isolated Kalaupapa settlement on Molokai after a critical water pump broke, a disruptive move for patients who have lived there for decades.

• The pump that supplies drinking water has been failing since early September and storage tanks are now too low to be safe.
• Patients and nursing staff are being flown to Oahu first, with the remaining residents leaving the next day.
• Patients will stay at a state care home on Oahu while staff go to hotels or family.
• Repairs are expected to take two weeks, and a small National Park Service crew stays behind to watch water levels and fix the pump.

Outlook: Everyone is set to return once the water supply is reliable again, but the timeline depends on whether crews can get the right parts.