LIHUE — Robert Staton has been through his share of natural disasters, including earthquakes, floods and fires. The state’s most recent brush with Iselle, however, marked his first tropical storm. “I think earthquakes are still the worst out of any
LIHUE — Robert Staton has been through his share of natural disasters, including earthquakes, floods and fires.
The state’s most recent brush with Iselle, however, marked his first tropical storm.
“I think earthquakes are still the worst out of any of these,” said Staton, who moved to Kauai from Colorado Springs, Colorado, about a year ago. “They don’t give much of a warning — the ground just starts shaking.”
The heavy rains, strong winds and possible flash flooding predicted to hit Kauai from Tropical Storm Iselle hadn’t arrived by 7 p.m. Friday. Instead, it was relatively quiet for what turned out to be a cloudy, windy day with occasional blue skies. By late Friday night, heavy rains started to fall and skies turned gray.
One downed tree blocked Kokee Road at mile marker 13 for a few hours Friday. In Pakala, traffic was alternated in the eastbound lane of Kaumualii Highway for about an hour Friday afternoon due to a fallen utility pole. Otherwise, roads were clear, power remained on and no one ran out of water.
Due to reports of high winds around the island, the public was advised to stay indoors and most did. Surfers and bodyboarders, however, found good wave action at Kalapaki Beach and on the South Shore. North Shore beaches were quiet.
A high surf advisory was in effect for east facing shores of all Hawaiian Islands.
Although the flash flood warning for County of Kauai was lifted by 5:30 p.m. on Friday, Staton was one of about 20 people who began filling into an American Red Cross evacuation center at the Kauai War Memorial Hall, which opened at 5 p.m.
Shelter Manager Michele Molineaux said about 100 people were expected to file into the shelter that evening as possible cancellations loomed for some flights out of Lihue Airport.
A free shuttle service, at least for a part of the evening, ran between the airport and the Red Cross shelter
“It’s just an overnight shelter from the hurricane,” Molineaux said. “We’re really just opening up the shelter for people who have no place else to go like people who were down at the beach or people who are at the airport and don’t want to be stuck there all night because they’re not flying out until the morning.”
Staton, who lives in Lihue, said he and his wife are simply grateful to have a roof over their heads.
“This is the first time that I’ve been in a shelter like this,” Staton said. “So far, everybody has been really good. We were always informed of what was going on.”
