Stone, earth and wood were washed out to sea after flash flooding from a heavy storm Monday night and more storms may hammer the island.
Stone, earth and wood were washed out to sea after flash flooding from a heavy storm Monday night and more storms may hammer the island.
The storm came in after a flash flood warning was issued Monday by the National Weather Service. The warning was lifted for a short time, then a watch was re-established at 7:52 a.m. Tuesday to last until 6 a.m. Wednesday.
What happened is moisture moved in from the east, brought by the winds, said meteorologist Chris Brenchley.
The moisture then hung up in the currently unstable atmosphere over the island, as warming air from the ground rose and freed water, he said.
The resulting heavy storms were seen all over the Big Island. The highest rainfalls, as reported by the NWS rain gauges, were the Kealakomo water gauge showed 3.04 inches over the last 24 hours, with Kapapala Ranch showing 2.32 inches and Kahuku Ranch showing 2.18 inches. Simultaneously, the Kona International Airport gauge showed .07 inches. Both active reporting gauges in the Waimea area reported more than 2.1 inches over that time. Puuanahulu had 1.5 total inches. Honaunau had 1.82 inches. The gauge covering Kawaihae reported missing data.
Brenchley said the storm was not connected to Tropical Storm Hilda.
Several roads were closed throughout the leeward side of the island, including Hualalai Road. All were reopened by midday Tuesday.
There were no road accidents attributed to the weather, said Hawaii Police Maj. Samuel Thomas.
However, four vehicles near Kawaihae Harbor were stranded by flowing water, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported. There was also an evacuation center for the local residents, as four apartment units flooded.
The Kawaihae area, still recovering from a large-scale fire, was hit with flooding and other damage.
The Puukohola Heiau National Historic Site is undergoing another evaluation. Most of the open areas of the park were burned during the fire and specialists from mainland and island parks were already headed there to evaluate the damage.
The flooding has added to that effort, said park superintendent Daniel Kawaiaea.
The area was already without electrical and phone service from the fire, although water was reconnected Aug. 12. The maintenance area now has an 8-foot-long ditch gouged under it from the rain.
Archaeologists will be searching for any artifacts exposed by the weather as well, Kawaiaea said.
Spencer Beach Park was closed until after noon Tuesday as workers recovered from the damage.
There was one incident blamed on the weather, when a flash flood blocked an ATV tour in two separate groups at 7:15 p.m. Monday in the Lalakea trail system. The group of 14 people were aided by various fire and medical vehicles, including a helicopter. In total, 12 members of the Hawaii Fire Department responded.
“Chopper-1 personnel were able to sling the tour group to the safe side of the flooding and then HFD ground units were able to lead the group out of the danger area,” the fire department wrote in a press release.
The Coast Guard did not receive any requests for assistance.