A flash flood watch remained in effect yesterday until late afternoon for all the Hawaiian islands as an area of low pressure in the upper atmosphere created unstable and wet weather conditions for the state. Flooding, mudslides, high stream levels
A flash flood watch remained in effect yesterday until late afternoon for all the Hawaiian islands as an area of low pressure in the upper atmosphere created unstable and wet weather conditions for the state.
Flooding, mudslides, high stream levels and road closures were reported on Kaua‘i yesterday. Kaua‘i Civil Defense Administrator Mark Marshall surveyed the North Shore in the morning to assess the damage from the rain and flooding. Marshall reported two cars being swept into Wainiha Stream and the roof of a shed floating downstream.
On Sunday evening, a 40-foot Matson container was reported floating down the Hanapepe River on the Westside. The container hit the county-owned Hanapepe Bridge, made its way under the bridge and struck the state-owned Hanapepe Bridge.
The container continued to float down the Hanapepe River and made its way out to sea.
Deputy County Engineer Ed Renaud said the extent of the damage to the county-owned bridge cannot be assessed until the water level in the Hanapepe River returns to normal.
Until then, the bridge will remain closed.
“We checked two of the three bays on the bridge,” Renaud said in a statement. “They appear to be slightly damaged, but we’re not sure if it was caused by the container hitting it or another large object.”
Renaud said a structural engineer will be brought in to assess the damage to the bridge.
State Department of Transportation officials checked the state-owned Hanapepe Bridge for damage yesterday.
“(The container) grazed the bridge, but didn’t cause any structural damage,” Scott Ishikawa, spokesman for the DOT, said.
Ishikawa said there was a small mudslide near Wainiha yesterday, but it didn’t cause major damages or road closures.
Crews were out and about yesterday cleaning up “little messes,” Ishikawa said.
The Hanelei Bridge was closed for seven hours Sunday evening due to flooding. Once open, around 9:30 p.m., the Kaua‘i Police Department alternated traffic flow and escorted vehicles over the bridge to ensure a safe passage for motorists.
The Wainiha Bridge was closed for about an hour on Sunday after flooding ruptured a water main under the bridge. Residents from Wainiha to Ha‘ena experienced low water pressure and no water at all until Department of Water crews could make repairs yesterday afternoon.
According to officials, repair work was hampered due to high stream levels and flooding.
Faith Shiramizu, spokesperson for the Department of Water, said the repairs were completed as of yesterday evening.
Shiramizu said the department is under the assumption that debris struck the water main as the river rose, causing the main to break.
According to the National Weather Service, the area of low pressure will fade over the state by midweek, with the tradewinds dropping to below normal levels of 10 to15 mph.
To report any damage from the heavy rain and flooding, call the Kaua‘i Civil Defense Agency at 241-1800.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has a team on Kaua‘i to inspect the Hanapepe and Waimea levees.
