The situation improved on the Big Island, which received a drenching yesterday.

Kaumualii Highway near Kalaheo has been reopened. The roadway was closed earlier today and traffic was diverted to Halewili Road due to flooding.

Also, Hanalei Bridge has reopened and police are overseeing alternating traffic flow over it.

The National Weather Service said the state could expect more rainy weather until the middle of the week.

Kauai is under a flash-flood warning until 11:45 tonight, and the weather service issued a flash-flood watch for all other islands, effective until 6 p.m. tomorrow. Rain on Kauai has considerably tapered off as of 9 tonight.

"The situation on Kauai poses a danger to life and property," weather service lead forecaster Sam Houston said this evening.

The weather service said there were reports of evacuations in the Waimea and Hanapepe valleys. Kauai police said there have been evacuations in the Hanapepe Valley. It is not known how many people have been evacuated amid reports of flooding, bridge closings and loss of drinking water.

Vice-director Edward T. Teixeira said state Civil Defense was monitoring the weather situation. A Hawaii National Guard liaison officer has been sent to Kauai at the request of Civil Defense officials on the Garden Island, Teixeira said.

As of 5 p.m. today, the 24-hour rainfall recorded at Mount Waialeale was 11 inches, with 6.7 inches falling in a six-hour period, said Houston.

The water draining from the mountain, combined with heavy rainfall over an extended period, increases the potential for heavy flooding. Rivers were out of their banks, the weather service said.

Conditions on the north and west side of the island were described as "very bad."

Kauai Civil Defense announced the closing of the Hanalei Bridge Road at 5:15 p.m. Hanalei Bridge was reopened at about 9 p.m.

At about 6 p.m., a 40-foot Matson container was floating down the Hanapepe River and hit two bridges, said county spokeswoman Mary Daubert. The weather service said there were reports of more containers adrift in the river.

Earlier in the afternoon, there were reports of flash-flooding near Hanalei, where rain was falling at a rate of about 3 inches an hour, according to officials.

The Wainiha bridges were closed briefly this morning due to the river overflowing its banks and going onto the roadway, Kauai officials said.

Other Kauai locations in the flash-flood warning include Kokee, Haena, Na Pali State Park, Moloaa, Kalalau Valley, Kilauea, Hanalei, Princeville and Anahola.

Meanwhile, a break in a water main under the Wainiha Bridge, caused by flooding, resulted in reduced water pressure or no water to residents from Wainiha to Ha'ena. Wainiha residents along Ananalu and portions of Kuhi'o Highway will be without water, possibly through tomorrow, according to Department of Water spokeswoman Faith Shiramizu.

Efforts by water department crews to repair the main were being hampered by high stream levels and flooding in the area.

Big Island highways open; about 100 homes damaged

The situation was not as bad on other islands, but it could worsen quickly because of the unstable weather conditions, Houston said.

All major highways were open to traffic on the Big Island this morning, but several roads still remained closed in Hilo, including Kamehameha Avenue downtown, according to the most recent advisory issued by Big Island Civil Defense.

Big Island Mayor Harry Kim, who also is serving as the interim director of county Civil Defense, estimated that about 100 to 150 homes sustained some kind of water damage from the heavy rains that fell over Kau, Hilo and Puna during the last 48 hours.

"The rains started subsiding last night just as we were at the threshold of decision-making for mandatory evacuations," Kim said yesterday. "Water levels are decreasing. We're in good shape now."

American Red Cross volunteers were scouring homes on the Big Island to determine if anyone needed help and to obtain a clearer picture of the extent of the damage from the storm.

"Hopefully, now that we've had 12 hours or less of no rain, that will help us if more rain comes," Kim said. "It's giving us time to clean up."

Kamehameha Avenue to Aupuni Street, Pauahi Street and East Kawailani Street were among the roadways around Hilo closed to traffic. Motorists were using alternate routes.

Dwayne Hosaka, of Big Island Civil Defense, reported no electrical failures or major problems at 6 p.m.

A brown-water advisory has been issued for the Big Island from Laupahoehoe Point through Leleiwi Beach Park due to heavy storm water runoff, flooding, overflowing sewer manholes, cesspools and a bypass of disinfected but not treated sewage from the Hilo (Puhi Bay) Wastewater Treatment Plant.