Neighbor Island briefs

Advertiser Staff and News Services

BIG ISLAND

Traffic deaths on Big Island increase

While drunken driving arrests and major car accidents on the Big Island have dipped slightly this year compared to last year, traffic fatalities have more than tripled.

Eleven traffic fatalities have been recorded on the Big Island as of March 25, compared with three during the same time last year, Hawai'i County police said.

Three of this year's fatalities were deemed alcohol related, compared with none last year, police said.

Police have made 191 DUI arrests so far in 2002, compared with 198 during the same period last year. There have been 493 major accidents so far, down 7 percent from the 531 reported during the same time last year.

Police said they will continue with their DUI roadblocks and patrols islandwide.

Hiker rescued from lava tube

Big Island firefighters rescued a hiker stranded in a lava tube Saturday after she dislocated her shoulder.

They were called to the Kaumana Cave complex above Hilo at about 4:45 p.m. The woman's friend met them at the mouth of the tube and led them to the 21-year-old, about 15 minutes inside.

Firefighters treated the injury and took the woman to Hilo Medical Center.

KAUA'I

Power failure hits part of Kaua'i

About 30 percent of Kaua'i suffered a power failure for nearly 40 minutes yesterday after one of four power generators became inoperable.

Police said electricity was lost about 3:20 p.m.

Carey Koide, Kaua'i Electric operations superintendent, said the failure was caused when Kaua'i's largest generator, one of four being used yesterday afternoon, stopped working.

He said all power was restored by 4 p.m. Workers switched generators and were testing the faulty one last night to try to determine what caused it to stop working.