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The Honolulu Advertiser

Updated at 10:48 a.m., Thursday, August 5, 2004

New storm may mean damp weekend

By Vicki Viotti
and Jan TenBruggencate
Advertiser Staff Writers

Island residents will have at least a couple of days to mop up from yesterday's heavy rains, but another storm system is around the corner, forecasters said.

Remnants of Tropical Depression Six-E were about 900 miles east of Hilo last night and could bring more showers beginning late tomorrow and through the weekend, the National Weather Service said.

It would finish a 1-2 punch of summertime storms that began Tuesday when the remnants of former Hurricane Darby hit the Big Island and Maui before soaking O'ahu yesterday.

The remnants of Darby had been expected to dump heavy rains on Kaua'i last night, but swept by with barely a drop and many residents woke this morning to sunny skies.

Kaua'i had severe rainfall late yesterday morning. Several areas tallied two inches in two hours, but the results were mostly minor.

Aircraft bound for Lihu'e Airport turned back during the heaviest downpours.

A landslide near the Menehune Fishpond briefly blocked traffic. Some sporting events were postponed.

"We had some landslides and localized ponding, but nothing the crews out there couldn't handle," said Clifford Ikeda, plans and operations officer at Kaua'i Civil Defense.

The storm had lost much of its oomph by the time it reached the Islands Tuesday, but it combined with atmospheric conditions that were perfect for heavy rain, said Derek Wroe, a meteorologist with the weather service.

Rockfalls on Kalaniana'ole Highway near Makapu'u and other scattered points closed lanes for several hours yesterday, and the prospect of more landslides worried residents in neighborhoods where boulders have tumbled into homes.

Niu Valley resident Rose Fischback was sitting in her kitchen drinking coffee yesterday morning when she heard a boulder the size of an armchair crash into a fire hydrant on Anolani Street, three doors down from her home.

"I'm not sure about my choice of residential neighborhoods," said Fischback, who moved here from California six days ago.

"I haven't even lived in my house yet and this happens."

More than two inches of rain fell in Nu'uanu Valley during a 12-hour period yesterday.

Nu'uanu resident Patrick Onishi, whose daughter, Dara Rei, was killed when a 5-ton boulder crashed through his home in 2002, said he is worried that the rain could cause another landslide.

"Since early last evening, my son and I have taken three trips up Pacific Heights to observe the amount of water that is being diverted down the slope behind our home," Onishi said.

"He was worried about the water from the heavy rains causing one of the loose boulders to come down."

The Hawai'i State Farm Fair was canceled for today because of heavy rains in Kapolei, organizers said.

Farm fair organizers were planning to re-open from 6 p.m. to midnight tomorrow.

"According to weather reports, it looks good for us to reopen the activities and we expect a nice turnout over the weekend," said Donna Smith of E.K. Fernandez Shows.

Flooding in a few chronic low-lying trouble spots — including Kamehameha Highway near Waiahole and the H-1 Freeway viaduct near 'Aiea — snarled traffic for hours.

About 3,500 Hawaiian Electric Co. customers lost power at various times between 4 and 9 a.m. yesterday, but power was restored to all residents by 2:30 p.m. yesterday, spokesman Bruce Benson said.

Verizon Hawai'i reported a 50 percent increase in trouble calls, especially from Waipahu and Manoa on O'ahu and Kona on the Big Island, spokeswoman Ann Nishida said.

Heavy rains overwhelmed the sewer system in 'Ahuimanu yesterday morning, causing a manhole to overflow in Kane'ohe and sending an estimated 5,000 gallons of raw wastewater into Kane'ohe Stream, the city said.

The spill at 45-270 Waikalua Road began at 6 a.m. and was stopped at 6:42 a.m., city spokesman Doug Woo said. Crews will sample the stream and parts of Kane'ohe Bay for contamination, he said.

Advertiser staff writers Mike Gordon, James Gonser, Kevin Dayton, Karen Blakeman, Suzanne Roig, Eloise Aguiar and Will Hoover contributed to this report. Reach Jan TenBruggencate at jant@honoluluadvertiser.com or (808) 245-3074. Reach Vicki Viotti at vviotti@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8053.