Oahu is drenched

A 47-year-old woman, swept away when flash flooding occurred in Nuuanu Stream, was missing Wednesday night after an unsuccessful search by firefighters.

Heavy downpours and thunderstorms socked Oahu on Wednesday, resulting in another day of flooding and rescues. Meanwhile, tropical cyclone Ignacio strengthened to hurricane status, making its way toward Hawaii with the threat of more bad weather.

“Oahu definitely took it the hardest today,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Derek Wroe.

Similar conditions are expected Thursday.

Several locations got upwards of 4 inches of rain, including Schofield Barracks with just more than 5 inches and Maunawili with more than 4 inches, during an eight-hour period Wednesday.

The Honolulu Fire Department responded to a 4:15 p.m. call that four people, camping under a bridge near the Liliuokalani Botanical Garden at Kuakini Street and North School Street, had been swept away, said fire Capt. David Jenkins. Three of the four were rescued, but the woman was not found.

Firefighters searched for three hours all the way down to Honolulu Harbor. The fire department was to resume its search Thursday at first light.

Firefighters also rescued several people stranded due to swollen streams while hiking on the Maunawili Falls Trail and Kaau Crater Trail, escorting them back to the trail head.

Firefighters responded to a 4:15 p.m. call to three hikers on the Maunawili path. Then “another party of six got into trouble,” and another single hiker, for a total of 10 hikers, Jenkins said.

On Kaau Crater Trail, a male and a female hiker got into trouble shortly before 5 p.m., followed by another single hiker.

Firefighters assisted people in flooded homes across Oahu. The fire department made nine water evacuations Wednesday afternoon, mostly downtown and in Kakaako, but also in Wahiawa, Waimanalo and Mokuleia.

There were four calls for downed trees.

The release of a million gallons of partially treated sewage occurred in East Honolulu and a 2,000-gallon sewage spill on Kauai were reported for the first time Wednesday.

Hawaii American Water, a private company that treats East Honolulu wastewater, issued a news release Wednesday saying that on Tuesday it released a million gallons of partially treated sewage a quarter-mile offshore at a depth of about 40 feet.

The company said an underground electrical line to its chlorine pumps failed at its East Honolulu Wastewater Treatment Plant located across Kalanianaole Highway from Sandy Beach, interrupting the addition of the chemical to the partially treated effluent.

The company’s manager, Lee Mansfield, said the effluent had gone through preliminary, primary and secondary treatment processes. Only the final disinfection process, which reduces pathogenic microorganisms, was left out.

The company is required to disinfect the effluent, but it’s not unusual for plants not to have disinfection in an ocean discharge environment, he said.

“It is not going to be an impact to public health,” Mansfield said.

A 2,000-gallon sewage spill kept visitors at the St. Regis Princeville Resort out of the water fronting the hotel, the Garden Island newspaper reported. A broken line caused the spill, releasing sewage into a marshy area below Hanalei Bay Resort. Princeville Utilities Co. contained the spill, completed repairs to the main line and disinfected the area.

Honolulu officials reported flooding at various intersections, including Dillingham Boulevard at Alakawa Street and at Ahua and Kilihau streets. The traffic lights were out at Kapiolani Boulevard and Cooke Street.

Numerous water intrusions were reported at Waterfront Plaza in Kakaako, including a shower of water leaking through the ceiling onto one reporter’s desk in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser newsroom.

Motorists reported flooding on Nimitz Highway “up to the bumpers” near Pier 38.

A flash flood watch for all islands is in effect through 6 p.m. Thursday.

Tuesday, the Maui Fire Department rescued 14 tourists and two Lahaina residents stranded by swollen streams in East Maui. Some had minor scrapes but all declined medical attention.

Hurricane Ignacio, packing 75 mph winds, was 1,275 miles east-southeast of Hilo at 5 p.m. Wednesday and was traveling west-northwest at 16 mph.

“It could be nearing the islands as early as Monday,” said meteorologist Wroe.