Updated at 2:06 p.m., Tuesday, January 29, 2002
Islands under flood watch, MCC classes canceled
By Mike Gordon
Advertiser Staff Writer
The state got a thorough drenching today as a slow-moving kona storm continued to drift south-southwest over the Islands.
Heavy showers and thunderstorms were expected on and off all day today and tonight, diminishing tomorrow, the National Weather Service said.
Civil defense authorities on all islands reported no major damage or serious problems.
Steady rain began about 8 p.m. yesterday and got heavy just before the morning rush hour commuters hit the highways.
The weather service issued a flash flood warning at 5:25 a.m. for Kalihi, Nu'uanu, Manoa, Palolo, Hawai'i Kai, 'Aina Haina and Maunawili. At the time, weather service radar reported that 3 to 4 inches of rain had fallen over parts of the Ko'olau east of Likelike Highway.
The warning was canceled at 8 a.m. but conditions still favored heavy rainfall and flooding.
"It looks like upper Manoa Valley had a burst of heavy rain around 5 or 6-o'clock this morning," said Hans Rosendal, weather service lead forecaster. "They had about 3 inches in an hour. Manoa Stream had briefly overflowed its banks."
MCC classes canceled
Lana'i and Maui were under a flash flood warning this morning. Maui Community College this afternoon announced it was canceling classes for the rest of today on Maui, Moloka'i and Lana'i due to the weather. Minor flooding of small streams and roads was expected on the Big Island until mid-day. This morning, heavy rain fell from Hilo south to Na'alehu. Ka'u High School and the next-door Pahala Elementary School were closed after heavy rain shut down the Belt Road at the 52 and 65-mile markers, said Bill Davis, Big Island civil defense administrator.
Several roads on the eastern side of the Big Island in Ka'u, Puna and Hilo were closed by heavy runoff following several hours of thunder showers that began before dawn.
On O'ahu, firefighters were sent at 7 a.m. to pull two homeless men from the banks of Kapakahi Stream in Wai'alae, said Capt. Kenison Tejada, Honolulu Fire Department spokesman. The men were not in danger, but firefighters feared flooding conditions.
"They didn't want to leave, but the stream was rising," Tejada said. "If the stream rose rapidly, they could be in a bad spot."
At the back of Kamilonui Valley in Hawai'i Kai, farmer Kats Higa worried that continued rain would be bad for his crop of green onions.
"It did rain all night and now I'm outside in the washer room and I don't think it will be that bad," Higa said. "It's kind of easing up now. I got to go out and check my fields."
Kaua'i received nearly 4 inches of rain in some areas. The Hanalei River overflowed its banks early in the evening, closing off travel west of Princeville, but the water dropped during the night.
The main problems included rocks, dirt and debris on roads, and streams choked with logs and branches.
"Our roads and rivers and streams are a mess out there," said county information officer Beth Tokioka.
Maui roads took the brunt of the storm. Kamehameha V Highway in Kapa'akea near Kaunakakai on Moloka'i was closed in two areas, and civil defense officials said there was a report that a home had sustained flood damage.
Rain also was heavy on Lana'i, with county crews clearing boulders from the road at Manele.
A stream rushing over the road at Nu'u Landing on the remote Kaupo coast closed traffic between Kipahulu and 'Ulupalakua. In West Maui, Honoapi'ilani Highway in Honokohau was in danger of being closed and landslides on the pali section of the highway were threatening to close the main route between Lahaina and Kahului.
Advertiser reporters Jan TenBruggencate, Hugh Clark and Christie Wilson contributed to this report.
