Zoo, park facilities closed due to heavy rain, lightning

Honolulu Zoo and several park facilities were closed Friday due to the heavy rain and lightning, city officials said.

City spokesman Jesse Broder Van Dyke said the zoo is expected to reopen Saturday, and the “Keiki in the Kitchen” event at the zoo will take place as scheduled Saturday.

Also, lightning closed the Manana Pool, he said. It’s expected to reopen Saturday.

Waipio Soccer Complex and Central Oahu Regional Park are closed for the entire weekend due to flooding, Broder Van Dyke said. Officials are hoping to reopen the parks Monday.

In addition, the city Department of Emergency Management is using heavy machinery at the Kaelepulu Stream mouth in Kailua Beach Park to remove buildup of debris and sand that are blocking the stream from flowing into the ocean, Broder Van Dyke said.

A crew from the Department of Facility Maintenance will be onsite Friday with a large excavator to open the stream mouth above the high water mark, he said.