Heavy rains pounded Kauai Tuesday.
The North Shore was especially hard hit, with Kuhio Highway at Hanalei Bridge closed since Monday and not expected to open until today. Hanalei School closed early Monday, was closed Tuesday and will be closed today.
The convoy between Waikoko and Wainiha was closed.
Taro fields were also flooded. There were reports that lower Weke Road homes and parts of Hanalei were under water.
“Some of my friends living down by the pier had to evacuate in chest deep water as the fish pond over flowed onto Weke Road and flooded the homes again,” wrote Terry Lilly. “Lots of junk going out onto the already damaged reef.”
A voluntary evacuation for residents located at Aloha Place, Waihohonou Road, and part of Waila‘au Road in Koloa, was canceled Tuesday afternoon when stream water receded.
The American Red Cross shelters that were opened at Kalaheo Neighborhood Center and Kauai Christian Fellowship were closed.
The National Weather Service extended the Flash Flood Warning for Kauai and a Flash Flood Watch for the island remains in effect.
Other happenings:
Schools
w The state Department of Education announced that Hanalei Elementary School and the satellite school at the Hanalei Colony Resort will be closed today.
Alaka‘i O Kauai Public Charter School was closed Tuesday and hopes to open today.
For students attending Kapaa Middle School and Kapaa High School that reside in Hanalei, Wainiha and Haena, bus services will not be operating.
State parks
w Polihale State Park was closed.
w The Marina (Kaumualii and Old Smith’s Landing Sections of Wailua River State Park) is closed.
Wainiha water outage
The Department of Water advised Wainiha customers they may experience low water pressure or no water service until further notice, due to possible weather impacts to the Wainiha water system.
DOW crews were unable to access the area due to the Kuhio Highway closures.
The DOW issued a water conservation request for Wainiha customers until further notice.
So why hasn’t Kauai’s officials learn from the past recent flooding and dredge the channels and streams for better drainage? Its no excuse to have people repeat another flooding.
But what can you say about the mayor Bernard C., seems like he was more concerned about campaigning for the Lt Governor position than the people of Kauai.
Regardless of the absurd idea of dredging, why is it always the State’s responibility to do something? How about people accepting responsibility for their idiotic decisions to build in flood-prone areas? If anything, the State should prevent anyone living in those areas and let nature do its thing.
MisterM…your a toad, quite frankly a reason freedom of speech proves some should be regulated. Better yet keep your non-educated opinions to your self. I hope your wife/husband takes you Internet privileges away.
Oyama is correct, the river banks need to be stripped of the invasive houl bush & buffalo grass. It would let the banks harden and hold better. Also the roads are not the problem. The funds are being wasted.
Harry, aren’t streams and channels the State’s kuleana?
How ’bout that Global Warming? Kind of hurts to have ignored it.
There is NOTHING we can do about “Global Warming”! The United States is the cleanest, greenest major Country on Earth, and has done more to maintain a good environment in America than any other country!! The pollution which is possibly a factor is coming from China, India and every other third world country on Earth. WE CAN NOT MAKE A DENT, SO MOVE TO THOSE COUNTRIES AND FIX THE PROBLEM THERE IF YOU’RE SO CONCERNED!
The USA and China are roughly tied as the world’s largest green house polluters. President Trump is working hard to get us back to number one! Making us the great polluter again.
The last big rain in Hanalei caused a huge section of the beach by the pier to be undermined by the ocean. It seems that the Hanalei river is going to continue to flow on the Hanalei side of the pier. After this last flood the ocean is now connected to the huge moat that was created from the river flow back in April. Today I watched sea water going inland and coming all the way to the damaged road going into Black Pot almost reaching the house that is on the opposite side of the road. Once we start having big surf in the coming weeks, waves could continue to wash further inland and more sand could be washed out essentially leaving Black Pot as an island. It looks possible that the ocean could push all the way to the boat ramp at the river. Before any more money is spent trying to rebuild homes and bringing sand or moving sand, we need an environmental assessment and some experts in wetland and flood-zone remediation. It may be unrealistic and futile to try and rebuild the homes that were damaged in the storm. We cannot expect the park to ever look or be the same.