Garden isle under water

Anahola resident Lyn White watched rubbish cans, plants, lumber and tree branches floating in rainwater in her neighbors’ yards Monday afternoon.

"I’m looking at people’s yards … it’s under water," said White.

Heavy rain inundated Kauai again Monday, closing several roads and schools. Hanalei School, Kilauea Elementary, Kapaa High School, Kapaa Middle School and Kapaa Elementary School are also shuttered today due to the closure of Hanalei Bridge and a section of Kuhio Highway at the 22.5-mile marker. 

Mayor Bernard Carvalho declared Kauai County a disaster area. Damage to Kuhio Highway near Kilauea town began last week, and Gov. Neil Abercrombie signed a disaster declaration for the island on Friday, authorizing state transportation officials to begin emergency repairs, his office announced Monday.

On Oahu, streams flooded and the Kaneohe sewage treatment plant overflowed, sending an estimated 51,000 gallons of storm water and raw waste into Kawa Stream.

State health officials issued a brown-water advisory for the entire island of Oahu. The public is advised to avoid floodwaters and storm runoff, due to possible overflowing cesspools and sewer manholes and the presence of pesticides, animal fecal matter, dead animals, pathogens, chemicals and debris.

Stormy weather will continue to threaten Kauai, Oahu and Maui County through most of today, as flash flood watches remain in effect through 6 p.m. Tonight may show some improvement, with a trend toward better weather by Wednesday.

"Then hopefully things will start improving," National Weather Service hydrologist Kevin Kodama said.

On Oahu, 4 to 7 inches of rain had fallen in windward areas from Punaluu to Kailua in 24 hours as of Monday evening.

The stream at Waikane overflowed, as did Ahuimanu in Kaneohe as a thunderstorm intensified rainfall, Kodama said.

Kodama said part of the problem is that the storm is moving slowly from west to east and continuing to bring rain to areas already saturated.

"We’re getting rain rates at 1 to 2 inches per hour," he said Monday night.

Kauai Civil Defense Administrator Mark Marshall said his office received reports of some houses flooding but that he would not know the extent of damage until this morning.

Marshall said reports were widespread, with bridges awash in Hanalei and Wai­lua.

He said some people have sought shelter at churches in Hanalei and Waipouli.

Parts of Kauai received 15 inches of rain in 24 hours as of 5 p.m. Monday. Hanalei received 17.4 inches over 24 hours as of 8 p.m. The average monthly rainfall for Hanalei in March is 8.74 inches, according to the weather service.

Lihue Airport, meanwhile, recorded sustained winds of 30 to 35 mph, with gusts to 45 mph, the weather service said.

County officials urged Anahola residents who live near Anahola Bridge and Kiloo Loop to move to higher ground.

At Anahola, White, 67, said heavy rain continued all night and day until it briefly stopped at 3 p.m. before another cold front was forecasted to arrive.

"My front yard is totally flooded," she said.

Her neighbors evacuated but she and her husband, Leedon, planned to stay put.

"Our house is pretty strong," said White.

Their three-story home did not flood because it sits on a thick concrete foundation elevated slightly higher than her neighbor’s homes. White said a foot of water flooded her neighbor’s living room and bedroom.

State Department of Transportation spokesman Dan Meisenzahl said Kuhio Highway was closed in two places, due to heavy rains and flooding, which undermined culverts.

Meisenzahl also said that the south leg of the Kapaa Temporary Bypass Road, between Kuhio Highway and Olohena Road, was closed due to heavy rains and flooding, which undermined a culvert under the roadway.