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Heavy rains, flooding prompt closures

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COURTESY CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULU

City workers deployed to Kaunala Street on the North Shore to help clear mud and debris brought by today’s rainfall.

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CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARADVERTISER.COM

A pedestrian made his way over Lusitana St. this morning. Rain has forced the closure of the Honolulu Zoo and several municipal golf courses today and Kamehameha Highway remains closed in both directions in front of the Turtle Bay Resort as communities from the North Shore to Hawaii Kai report momentary power outages.

Rain has forced the closure of the Honolulu Zoo and several municipal golf courses today as communities from the North Shore to Hawaii Kai report momentary power outages.

Kamehameha Highway in front of Turtle Bay was reopened shortly before 10 a.m. after being closed in both directions for about 6 hours because of flooding. The Department of Emergency Management reported that two sedans stalled in the area, according to city spokesman Andrew Pereira.

The state Department of Health issued a brown water advisory for Maui, Oahu and Kauai, warning people to stay out of flood waters and storm runoff because of the risk of overflowing cesspools, sewer manholes, pesticides, animal fecal matter, dead animals, pathogens, chemicals and flood debris.

About 2,200 Hawaiian Electric Co. customers in Nanakuli and Waianae lost power just before 9 a.m., HECO spokeswoman Shannon Tangonan said.

Additionally, some businesses at the Hawaii Kai Towne Center have been without power since 8:30 a.m. today, Tangonan said.

On the North Shore, city crews deployed to help clear away mud and debris on Kaunala Street in the Velzyland area. Kaunala is a private road, but the city has responsibility for its maintenance, Pereira said.

The National Weather Service said that radar showed more heavy rain sitting just off the Waianae coast and south shore, moving north at a rate of 15 to 20 mph.

Areas that could be particularly affected include Maunawili, Kailua, Waikane, Mililani, Waialua, Hawaii Kai, Salt Lake, Kaneohe, Waiahole, Moanalua and Halawa, according to the weather service.

The West Loch and Ewa Villages golf courses are closed and play is suspended at the Ted Makalena and Pali golf courses, Pereira said.

Only the paths are open at the Ala Wai golf course, he said, and Kahuku remains open.

Flooding on Kauai forced the closure of Hanalei Elementary School for the second day in a row today, and of Kuhio Highway near the Hanalei Bridge in both directions. By late morning, one lane of the highway was reopened and police were alternating traffic on the road. The American Red Cross opened an emergency shelter at the school at 6 a.m. but closed it by late morning.

Some power lines were reported down in the Campbell Industrial Park area but repair crews were on scene and making repairs, Tangonan said.

Areas of Makakilo and Hawaii Kai reported “flickers,” in which service momentarily goes out and then returns, Tangonan said, and “minor” website outages occurred in Makakilo.

HECO’s website indicated outages had been reported around Pupukea, Laie, Kahana Valley Road, Waipahu, Pearl City and Nuuanu.

There were also reports of downed trees in Nanakuli and downed power lines on Boxer Road at Barber’s Point Housing, according to the weather service.

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