Job losses on Kauai keep climbing weeks after Hurricane Lowell, bad news for workers and small businesses on the island.

• Weekly unemployment claims on Kauai have jumped to about 1,700, up from under 70 before the storm.
• Many damaged businesses still have not reopened, and some do not expect to for another six months.
• Larger operations like Kauai Cookie have kept staff on by shifting them to mail orders and cleanup work.
• Smaller shops are the ones hurting most, with owners unsure week to week whether they can hang on.

Outlook: Claims will likely stay high until damaged businesses reopen, which could take months.