HawaiiNewsNow Video » Twister in Enchanted Lake area
A tornado swept through parts of Kailua and Lanikai on Friday, capping a week of wild, rare weather that included record-size hail, damaging lightning strikes and torrential rain that closed roads and flooded homes.
"It took the roof off in about five seconds," said Enchanted Lake resident Harold Sylvester, whose home on Kahili Street lost its 60-by-20-foot lanai roof in the twister. "I thought the trees were going to come down. Then I heard a PAHW! … After it hit, it was quiet."
The storms, which began March 3, hit Kauai and Oahu the hardest Friday and also caused damage in Maui County.
Windward Oahu residents were awakened Friday by a near-constant string of lightning and thunder, heavy rain and hail as big as baseballs, particularly in the Aikahi area.
Then the tornado came ashore at about 7:15 a.m., tearing up roofs and uprooting trees as it carved a mile-and-a-half path through the Lanikai and Enchanted Lake neighborhoods.
The National Weather Service said the tornado started as a waterspout offshore and became a tornado upon reaching land. It had speeds of 60 to 70 mph, had an average width of 20 yards and lasted about 15 minutes.
Residents say they first heard a roar like a train coming, then a violent wind for 45 seconds to a few minutes, and when they looked outside debris was everywhere.
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MORE WIND, LESS RAIN
High 81, Low 71
As the storm system moves west of the state, heavy rain will be replaced by strong tradewinds of 30 mph today, with gusts near 50 mph. A wind advisory is in effect until 6 p.m. today.
"It’s unfortunately one thing after another, but at least this is just a wind advisory," said Norman Hui, a National Weather Service forecaster.
Skies will be partly sunny this weekend with windward and mauka showers. Winds will subside to more typical intensities by Sunday, and tradewinds will carry into next week.
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Manny Marin, 91, of Enchanted Lake had set his old clothes dryer out on the curb the day before for pickup. The tornado pushed it 40 feet down the street.
The house that appeared to be the most extensively damaged was a beachside vacation rental on Mokulua Drive in Lanikai. The lanai roof collapsed, the main roof was damaged and windows and part of a wall were blown out, tenant Thanit Bernier of New York said.
Bernier said she was asleep with her husband and 3-month-old daughter when "we heard a loud noise and a strong wind. We felt like the windows were going to break. Our baby was sleeping in the middle of us, and we covered her up."
It was over in "like three seconds," she said. "When we opened the door, we heard my mother (in another room) screaming. The windows were shattered. We noticed the living room roof had blown. The other part had totally collapsed. We were afraid we wouldn’t be able to leave the house because the entrances were blocked."
There was no immediate tally of how many homes were damaged.
Honolulu firefighters responded to 24 weather-related calls between 5:30 and 9 a.m. Friday, all on the Windward side, fire Capt. Terry Seelig said. Three of them were for damaged roofs in Enchanted Lake.
The most severe flooding occurred at about 8 a.m. on Aina Moi Place, where a torrent of water swept through the area, affecting about 15 homes before washing out to Kaneohe Bay, Seelig said.
"Some of them had a foot or two of water that moved through them, but it rapidly dissipated when the rains abated," he said.
Here are highlights from other areas:
NORTH SHORE
About 10 residents from Otake Camp in Waialua used a shelter Friday at Waialua Intermediate and High School because Lake Wilson was running high, said Maria Lutz, director of disaster services for the Red Cross. The shelter was closed at 3 p.m.
Flooding was also reported in Haleiwa town at Paalaa Road and Kamehameha Highway.
KANEOHE-KUALOA
Kamehameha Highway was closed for a few hours Friday morning in several places, including in Punaluu and at Kualoa Regional Park, because of flooding and landslides, Oahu Emergency Management spokesman John Cummings said.
The city reported that 6,110 gallons of sewage overflowed into Kawa Stream from a manhole at the Kaneohe Wastewater Pre-Treatment Facility at 6:25 a.m. At 7:45 a.m. a manhole overflow at 44-217 Mikiola Drive sent 2,250 gallons of untreated sewage into a canal that leads to Kaneohe Bay.
KAUAI
Lihue resident Haily McKee said hail came down in Kapaa at about 2:30 a.m. Friday. McKee, a medical receptionist at the Kauai Community Health Center in Kapaa, also said Kuhio Highway is pockmarked with potholes worsened by the rain.
The American Red Cross opened a shelter at the Kapaa Middle School cafeteria for people who cannot stay in their homes due to flooding.
Roads closed because of flooding included Kuhio Highway near the Hanalei Bridge and near the 22.5-mile marker. Kapahi Bridge at the Kawaihau and Kahuna road junction will be closed for repairs until at least the middle of next week, the county said.
MAUI
County Civil Defense officials reported Hana Highway was closed in at least three places early Friday. A flash flood sent water over the road three miles west of Hana; a landslide was reported 12 miles west of Hana; and a tree was down over the road about nine miles west of Hana.
Maui Electric Co. workers restored power to about 400 customers in and around Hana at about 9 a.m. Friday. The power went out at about 1:20 a.m.
ADVISORIES
» Hawaii State Civil Defense has activated a toll-free number for damage reports from residents whose property, home or business suffered damage from the ongoing severe weather. Call 855-211-7456, ext. 654. Reporting damage will not guarantee financial aid, but it will help officials determine whether the state qualifies for federal disaster assistance.
» The state Department of Land and Natural Resources said the following state parks will be closed until further notice because of weather-related conditions: Diamond Head State Monument (lightning hazard), Na Pali Coast State Wilderness Park, Polipoli Spring State Park and Waianapanapa State Park.
Star-Advertiser reporters Gregg K. Kakesako, June Watanabe and Rosemarie Bernardo contributed to this report.
Q&A | INSURANCE COVERAGE OF DAMAGE
Brent Suyama, spokesman for the state Insurance Division, answered questions about homeowners and renters insurance policies and bad weather.
Question: What is typically covered under homeowners or renters insurance policies in Hawaii?
Answer: Fire and storm damage other than hurricane or flooding. Hail would be covered under typical homeowners coverage if the hail actually goes through your home. For example, if hail should shatter your window and cause damage in your home, that would be covered. But if a window were open, the damage wouldn’t be covered. Car insurance would also cover hail damage as well as flooding, as long as you have comprehensive coverage.
It’s important to note that your regular house policy would cover some rain damage in limited circumstances — for instance, if the wind tore a hole in your roof and caused water damage.
Q: Do consumers need to purchase separate coverages for hurricane and flood damage?
A: Yes. Typically if you have a mortgage you would be required to have hurricane insurance. If you’re living in a flood zone, mortgage companies also require you to carry flood insurance. You can also opt to purchase these additional coverages on your own if you don’t carry a mortgage or even if you don’t live in a flood zone.
Q: What do consumers need to do to report a claim?
A: They should be in contact with their home or auto insurance agents, first of all. Typically what will happen if they suffer some sort of damage is an insurer would send out an adjuster to determine the extent of damage and work with the policyholder in the claims process. If you’re denied a claim, contact the Insurance Division at 586-2790.
Q: What can consumers expect to pay for damage if they have insurance?
A: It is difficult to say how much damage could cost because of the choices insurance policyholders have as their deductible and level of coverage. A lot of people would rather pay smaller premiums and have a higher deductible. If they just have one shattered window, they may weigh whether or not it will cross the threshold of their deductible. It’s one of those things where they really should look at their policies and weigh the benefits of reporting a claim.
Q: Any other relevant tips consumers should know?
A: A lot of times we buy policies and we don’t really take a look at them, so we’re not familiar with what they cover. We don’t pull it out until there’s some type of damage or catastrophe. For those people who have not suffered damage yet, it’s a good time to pull that policy out and have that information available. It is also a good time to take an inventory of your belongings. Take photos of your belongings such as jewelry, electronics, appliances, sports equipment and even decorations. Try to gather any receipts and serial numbers as well. There’s an app that you can download (myHOME Scr.APP.book), and you can actually go around and catalog your belongings in your home.
Interviewed by Star-Advertiser reporter Kristen Consillio
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