Posted on: Wednesday, August 4, 2004
Fading storm dampens Isles
By Karen Blakeman
Advertiser Staff Writer
The state remained under a flash-flood watch through 6 a.m. today as the wet remnants of a dying storm moved slowly through the Islands.
Bruce Asato • The Honolulu Advertiser Scattered showers from the weather system are expected to continue across the state today, said Bob Burke, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
"It is slowly winding down," he said. "After this, we should see more typical trade-wind weather."
On O'ahu, soil-drenching rain may have been a factor in the uprooting of an ironwood tree that fell across both Kailua-bound lanes of the Pali Highway at about 10:45 a.m. yesterday. The tree blocked or disrupted traffic for several hours while state crews worked to clear it.
Wendell Hatada, the mayor's executive assistant on the Big Island, said runoff from heavy rain that began about midnight around the Kona area closed several roads yesterday morning, including Highway 11 just north of Konawaena Road.
Ed Teixeira, vice director of the state Civil Defense, said authorities closed Konawaena high, middle and elementary schools, Ho'okena School, Honaunau School and Kekula O Ehunui Kamalino school. St. John's Road in Kealakekua also was closed early yesterday because of flash flooding, according to Big Island firefighters.
Bruce Asato • The Honolulu Advertiser About 600 customers in Pahala, Wood Valley and Kapapala Ranch were left in the dark for six hours early yesterday morning while HELCO replaced a failed insulator.
Another 300 customers in the Kapoho area endured a four-hour blackout when a tree fell on power lines along Highway 132, and 2,700 customers experienced a momentary failure in North Kona when a volt transmission line tripped open.
Teixeira said Maui's eastern side was hit hard yesterday afternoon, most heavily in the Kaupo area. Highway 31 was closed because of runoff, he said.
The National Weather Service also issued a high-surf advisory, in effect for east-facing shores through this morning.
The weather also disrupted road work on the Moanalua Freeway Monday night, postponing resurfacing on the ewa-bound lanes until tomorrow night, weather permitting.
The work will begin at 9 p.m. and continue until 4:30 a.m. Friday. The freeway will be completely closed from School Street to the Pu'uloa interchange.
Eastbound restriping work was also delayed, and part of the road —from the Halawa interchange to Kalihi Street — was closed last night while work resumed. Moanalua was expected to reopen this morning at 4:30 a.m.
Reach Karen Blakeman at 535-2430 or kblakeman@honoluluadvertiser.com. Staff writer Mike Gordon contributed to this report.
The rain — compliments of what was once Hurricane Darby, a storm that originated off Mexico's coast — hit the Big Island hardest, closing roads and schools.
Motorists on the Pali Highway found their way blocked after a large tree fell across both lanes in the Kailua-bound direction. Traffic was rerouted onto Nu'uanu Pali Drive until one lane of traffic was opened at about 1 p.m. On the Big Island, flooding closed several roads.
Hawai'i Electric Light Co. said they are unsure whether weather was directly connected to a series of power failures on the Big Island yesterday.
Crews from the State Department of Transportation’s Highway Division worked to clear the Pali Highway after a large tree fell across both Kailua-bound lanes yesterday after heavy rain.
