LIHU‘E — A second storm moved through the island of Kaua‘i on Sunday, adding to the mess created from an earlier hydrological event that wreaked havoc on local roads and properties.
The latest storm dropped less than an inch of rain as of noon on Sunday, the National Weather Service (NWS) reported, but came after damage assessments were done on Saturday in the aftermath of a doozy of a storm on Thursday evening and Friday morning.
That storm dumped 12.51 inches of rain in Kalaheo, 12.05 inches of rain at North Wailua Ditch, 11.80 inches at Lihue Airport, 11.35 inches of rain in Oma‘o, 11.26 inches of rain in Wailua, 10.59 inches of rain in Po‘ipu and 10.00 inches in Kapahi all between 6 p.m. Thursday and 6 a.m. Friday, the NWS reported. Other parts of the island received significant rainfall as well in the 12-hour period.
The island-wide damage assessments on Saturday were done by County of Kaua‘i personnel with the assistance of the Hawai‘i National Guard and American Red Cross.
“We express our gratitude to our partners with the Hawai‘i National Guard, volunteers with the American Red Cross, and county officials for their assistance in conducting damage assessments caused by flooding,” said Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami in a statement.
“The information provided will aid us in comprehending the extent of residential damage and its impact on our community.”
Both Kawakami and Gov. Josh Green signed emergency proclamations due to the heavy rainfall prompting the Red Cross to dispatch volunteers and open two shelters during the very early hours of Friday.
The Kaua‘i Police Department said that water rescues did occur due to floodwaters rising, however there were no reports of any serious injuries.
While Kaua‘i residents continue flood cleanup efforts, they are encouraged to start documenting and taking photographs of damages on their property. Residents can access the public damage report by visiting, https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/960e4dda54164e39bcc647b537491c9a.
