Three killed in Maui flooding

By Karen Blakeman
Advertiser Staff Writer

Two men and a woman were killed on Maui yesterday after heavy rains caused streams to swell and roads to flood across the state yesterday.

All of Hawai'i remained under a flood watch until at least 7 a.m. today, said Hans Rosendal, forecaster for the National Weather service in Honolulu.

By 10:30 last night some areas in the mountains of O'ahu had reported up to six inches of rain and the count was headed upward, Rosendal said. Similarly heavy rains fell throughout the state.

On Maui, firefighters said three people were killed when they tried to ford Waiehu Stream in a Jeep.

It happened in a rural area of northeastern Maui. Witnesses called 911 when they saw the Jeep being washed downstream, said Maui Fire Capt. Ben Bland.

Bland said five people had been riding in the vehicle on dirt agricultural roads near Malaihi Road. Although they saw the stream was flooded and moving fast, they thought the Jeep could make it across, he said.

The Jeep was swept downstream about 5 p.m. All five occupants jumped from the vehicle, but only two made it to land.

Firefighters using a rescue helicopter found the bodies of a woman and two men about a mile away, near the stream's mouth at lower Waiehu beach.

Three hikers stranded yesterday after heavy rains swelled mountain streams and made trails impassable walked out of the mountains unharmed this morning, firefighters said.

Fire Capt. Kenison Tejada said firefighters resumed a search this morning for a Honolulu couple last seen stranded below Ka'au Crater on Waiomao Trial in Palolo.

From Air One, the HFD helicopter, firefighters spotted the couple walking out on their own at about 6:30 a.m., he said.

The man and woman said once they realized they were trapped they found a high spot in which to safely spend the night. They said they were unharmed and declined medical treatment.

"They were a little cold and a little embarrassed," Tejada said.

Tejada said firefighters also searched near Manoa Falls shortly before midnight yesterday after a woman reported her husband missing in that area.

That couple called firefighters at daylight this morning to tell them the man was fine, Tejada said.

The heavy rains and flooding across the state had stopped by about 3 a.m. today, said Roy Matsuda, a National Weather Service forecaster in Honolulu.

Skies were expected to remain dry at least through last night, he said. But weather systems in the area remain unstable, and frequent, heavy showers could return as early as tomorrow and could remain a threat through Wednesday.

On the Big Island, both major roads from Waimea to Kona were closed about 9:30 last night after flooding made them impassable in the South Kohala area.

Highway 19 was closed from the 70 mile marker to the Kawaihae Road Junction.

Police said Highway 190 was closed from Parker Ranch Headquarters in Waimea Town to the Waikoloa Junction.