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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Monday, March 20, 2006

Latest body found on Kaua'i identified

Share your thoughts and comments on the Kaloko Reservoir disaster
 •  Kaua'i's soothing voice in a storm

By Jan TenBruggencate
Advertiser Kaua'i Bureau

Fehring

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LIHU'E, Kaua'i — Family and friends yesterday held a celebration of life for the victims of Tuesday's flooding disaster, just hours after Civil Defense officials identified the latest body recovered as that of young mother Aurora Fehring, 24.

The body of Fehring's husband, Alan Dingwall, 30, was identified earlier, as was the body of Christina Macnees, 22.

Still missing are 2-year-old Rowan Fehring-Dingwall; Macnees' fiance, Daniel Arroyo, 33; Wayne Rotstein, 49; and Timothy Noonan, 37.

All seven had been sleeping in houses on the Fehring property that were washed away in the flood that followed the breach of the Kaloko Reservoir.

A fresh team of rescue personnel and dogs arrived yesterday to continue the search for victims in vast piles of logs and other debris.

Mayor Bryan Baptiste said the Morita Reservoir, which was damaged by the Kaloko flood, has been nearly emptied and stabilized to remove the threat of more flooding. The Kaloko Dam is still being assessed by engineers from the county, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, the Corps of Engineers and Mainland dam engineers.

Peter Young, chairman of the state Board of Land and Natural Resources, said the state in partnership with the U.S. Geological Survey has placed water-level sensors at four reservoirs on Kaua'i — Kaloko, Pu'u Ka Ele, Waita and Kapaia — and that engineers inspected reservoirs on the island yesterday and would be out again today.

Meanwhile, county, state, National Guard and other personnel continued cleaning up the rest of the island, which has been drenched by persistent rainfall. Among yesterday's issues were deep flooding at Anahola Beach Park and a vast field of mud on Koke'e Road. The Koke'e Road remained closed yesterday between Kekaha and Waimea Canyon Road. The Anahola Road also was closed near Anahola Village Park, and the Aleka Loop and Bypass Roads both were closed in Kapa'a.

The island remained under a flash flood watch throughout the day but rains were not as heavy as earlier in the week.

"It's been a pretty quiet day," Baptiste said.

Many of the dozens of relief workers from county, state and nongovernment organizations were getting gourmet meals during the past week, provided by Island restaurants and made available through a partnership of the Kaua'i Food Bank, Salvation Army, American Red Cross, Church of the Pacific and Friendship Club.

Food Bank director Judy Lenthall said the response from hotels and restaurants was gratifying. Donors included the Hyatt Regency, Kaua'i Marriott, Marriott's Wai'ohai, Wailua Marina, Kaua'i Beach Resort, Mark's Place, Keoki's, Aloha Beach Resort, Icing on the Cake, Wasabi's, Scotty's, Brennecke's, Meadow Gold, Pizza Hut, Coconut's Island Style Grill and Joe's on the Green.

Civil Defense authorities said Kaua'i residents with damage to their properties or needing help can call 211, a 24-hour emergency hot line operated by Aloha United Way. The agency will take damage reports or refer callers to other emergency agencies where appropriate.

Ed Teixeira, vice director of state Civil Defense, said state and federal officials plan to set up a disaster assistance and recovery center on Kaua'i, possibly by tomorrow in Kalaheo, weather permitting.

Friends of the victims of the Tuesday flood held a gathering from 3 to 9 p.m. yesterday at the Church of the Pacific at Princeville. A statement from Aurora Fehring's father, Bruce Fehring, noted that another gathering in their memory will be held later.

The Fehring family has asked anyone wishing to make a donation in the memory of the flood victims to contribute to the Kaua'i-based nonprofit Amicus Foundation (www.amicus.org), which is also working with the earthquake and tsunami victims of the Dec. 26, 2004, Indian Ocean disaster. Amicus director Jim Winkler of Kilauea has set up a Kaua'i Flood Victims Fund on its Web site.

Advertiser staff writer Rod Ohira contributed to this report.

Reach Jan TenBruggencate at jant@honoluluadvertiser.com.