Bankruptcies break records.

Bankruptcies in Hawaii -- up 26 percent so far this year -- are expected to shatter the record number filed last year.

Gayle Lau, assistant U.S. trustee, said that as of June 25, 673 bankruptcies were filed in Hawaii, up from the 528 filed by that date last year.

At this clip, filings for 1992 should exceed 1,300, outpacing the 1991 record of 1,085 filings, he said.

Filings by individuals and smaller visitor industry businesses are most likely to increase this year, Lau said.

Although filings have increased dramatically, Lau said Hawaii still ranks lowest in filings relative to population, by far.

The vast majority of Hawaii's bankruptcies, 91 …