Big Island assesses damage from surf

By Kevin Dayton
Advertiser Big Island Bureau

HILO, Hawai'i — Damage cleanup from the high surf continued in Hilo yesterday, but Bayfront Highway remained closed after pounding waves dumped tons of rock and debris on the road last week.

Scott Ishikawa, spokesman for the state Department of Transportation, said crews planned to open at least one lane of the highway by this afternoon.

Although piles of dirt and rock littered the road, Ishikawa said there did not seem to be any structural undermining of the highway.

The surf did major damage to three shoreline homes in Puna, and another 13 Puna homes and a Hilo bay condominium complex sustained less serious damage, said Lanny Nakano, assistant civil defense administrator.

Nakano said there was no dollar estimate of the damage, but one of the homes in Hawaiian Paradise Park was classified as "destroyed" by high surf damaging more than 75 percent of the structure.

In all, a dozen homes were damaged in Paradise Park, and three more in the Hawaiian Beaches subdivision, Nakano said.

In Hilo, the surf ripped out the gas-fueled hot water heater in one of three buildings in the Polynesia Capri condominiums, causing a gas leak Friday.

Lynn Leifeste, treasurer for the condominium board of directors, said residents in the eight units had all returned by yesterday.

Also damaged was the hotel pool deck and Pali Room of the Hawai'i Naniloa Resort. The meeting room had damage to its exterior walls and windows, while the pool deck suffered structural damage, Nakano said.

The Red Cross had shelters open in Hilo at the Butler Building and at the Pahoa Community Center last night to help about 40 people, including several dozen from beach camps in the King's Landing area.

The Red Cross planned to close those shelters today, Nakano said.

Reach Kevin Dayton at kdayton@honoluluadvertiser.com or (808) 935-3916.