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Iselle’s impact: Outages, road closures

Reports from Hawaii island and Maui as Iselle delivers heavy rains and winds:

>> Hawaii County police urged motorists to avoid Highway 19 near the Honolii Bridge due to heavy debris on the road late Thursday night.

>> Both lanes of traffic closed at Wainaku/Halaulani due to a downed tree, Hawaii County police said.

>> At about 10 p.m., Maui police said they were directing traffic around a downed tree along Olinda Road, between Pukiki Place and Hawea Place in Makawao. The tree came down at 6:50 p.m. taking down with it three power lines.

>> As of 8:30 p.m., Hawaii Electric Light Co. officials said about 5,000 power customers were without service, most of them in the East Hawaii island communities of Puna and Hilo.

Between 2,500 and 2,600 customers in the area between Keaau and Pahoa town, including the Ainaloa, Orchidland Estates and Hawaiian Paradise Park subdivisions lost power shortly before 8 p.m., HELCO spokeswoman Rhea Lee said.

Also, roughly 1,800 customers from Kapoho to Pahoa, including the Vacationland and the Beachlots subdivisions, have watched their power go on and off for several hours, Lee said.

About 800 customers are without power in the Glenwood section of upper Puna, near PSYZK and Akatsuka roads, she said.

Power has been restored to most of about 850 customers in the Honokaa area. Those customers, as well as well as several hundred others in Waimea, lost power this afternoon.

>> Downed trees block two major highways in Puna. Route 11, the Volcano Highway from Keaau to Volcano, was temporarily blocked at the 19th mile-marker in the Mountain View-Glenwood area, due to downed trees, Hawaii Island police reported about 5:30 p.m. It was reopened within an hour. 

Police closed Route 132, the lower Puna highway, between Nanawale Blvd and Lava Tree Park, due to downed trees. Motorists are advised to use Leilani Boulevard. It’s unclear when that road will be reopened, county officials said. 

>> Hawaii County police have closed one lane of traffic along Hilo’s Kalanianaole Avenue in the area of Carlsmith Beach Park due to fallen trees on utility wires.

>> Power went out Thursday night at the Olinda Water Treatment plant, and Upper Kula residents were asked to conserve water.

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