Isolated Kauai residents are asked to conserve water
RUSS JOSEPHSON/SPECIAL TO THE HONOLULU STAR-ADVERTISER
Brown water flows under the Wailua Bridge (Kapaa) where the river flows into ocean.
COURTESY OF HAWAII DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
HDOT crews working to clear Hanalei Hill on Kuhio Highway in Kauia.
COURTESY OF HAWAII DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
HDOT crews work to clear Kuhio Highway today in Kauia.
COURTESY OF HAWAII DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Roads are washed out on Kauai today.
Updated 11:00pm
The National Weather Service has extended the flash flood warning for the island of Kauai to 1:45 Monday morning.
Weather forecasters say although stream levels are trending downward and conditions improve, radar images show light to occasionally moderate rain continues to fall primarily over windward and interior sections of the island. They say the rainfall rate is less than a half an inch per hour.
Meanwhile, county officials report that they and state Department of Transportation crews have opened more roadways. They include the south-bound lane of Kuhio Highway on the Wailua Bridge and both lanes of the Kaumualii Highway near the 7-Eleven store in Lawai and near Maluhia Road.
—
North Kauai residents, who can’t be reached due to washed out roads, are asked to conserve water today.
Don't miss out on what's happening!
Stay in touch with top news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It's FREE!
The Department of Water issued a water conservation notice for Hanalei after a mainline break that is inaccessible for repairs due to severe weather conditions and road closures in the area. Residents and businesses are asked to limit water consumption to emergency essential uses to prevent a full water outage.
The County reported a water service outage this morning in Wainiha and Haena. Heavy rain throughout the weekend affected the electrical power and other functions at the well site and pump stations, causing its tank to deplete storage capacities.
Kauai #hitraffic update: HDOT crews are working to clear Hanalei Hill on Kuhio Hwy. We’re hoping to have it cleared by the time water recedes at Hanalei Bridge. pic.twitter.com/DaTZzDmdiV
— Hawaii DOT (@DOTHawaii) April 15, 2018
There is no timeline for service restoration since there is no access to communities west of Princeville. Customers are asked to collect rain water for non-potable water needs.
The National Weather Service extended a flash flood warning for Kauai through 4:45 p.m. today.
Rainfall with rates of 4 to 5 inches per hour continued over north and east Kauai. A rise in water levels at Kapaa Stream and Wailua River is expected. Severe flooding is ongoing in the Hanalei River.
Both Gov. David Ige and Kauai Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. signed emergency proclamations this morning to conduct emergency operations. The American Red Cross opened shelters at Kapaa Middle School, the Church of the Pacific in Princeville and at Hanalei Elementary School.
Kauai #hitraffic update: HDOT crews are working to clear Kuhio Hwy. There are a lot of areas to work on. Continue to monitor conditions. pic.twitter.com/FXKn3r3HlS
— Hawaii DOT (@DOTHawaii) April 15, 2018
The rest of the state remains under a flash flood watch until 6 p.m. today. Forecasters said breezy, wet, and unstable conditions will continue today and the threat of heavy and thunderstorms remain.
A high surf advisory is in effect through Monday morning for all east facing shores on all islands.
