FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM Downed trees and power lines blocked a portion of Round Top Drive near Makiki Street last night. Police officer Ryan Pagan watched as a resident walked to her home.

Winds wreak havoc

Outages occur, trees fall onto
houses and roads are blocked

Winds as high as 50 miles an hour downed trees and power lines across Oahu last night, causing at least one serious accident on Round Top Drive and closing several roadways.

More than 9,000 customers were without power last night because of downed utility poles, Hawaiian Electric Co. spokesman Lynn Unemori said.

Outages were reported in Makaha, Aina Haina, Nanakuli, Kaimuki and Makiki. Power was restored to about 1,900 customers in Kaimuki by about 10:45 p.m., but Unemori could not say when power would be restored to the other areas.

About 9 p.m., a tree fell on a car traveling near 2063 Round Top Drive, leaving a 17-year-old girl in serious condition.

Rescuers were unable to get to the girl because trees were blocking the road, but a bystander reportedly brought the woman down.

She was taken to the Queen's Medical Center with head injuries, Emergency Medical Services district chief Jason Kaneshiro said.

There were two reports of trees falling onto homes in Waianae: The first at 84-156 Makau St. at about 9 p.m.; another into a home at 85-215 Ala Akau St. at 10:45 p.m. No injuries were reported.

Oahu Civil Defense volunteers were sent to aid victims of the first incident and also survey the area for problems, spokesman John Cummings said. "They found the winds are pretty high right now," he said.

The National Weather Service said the highest gusts on Oahu were felt in Waianae, where winds neared 50 miles an hour about 10 p.m. Earlier in the evening, winds reached 32 miles an hour in Kahuku and 33 in Kaneohe.

Princeville, Kauai, had 33 mile-an-hour gusts, while winds on Molokai were gusting at about 31 miles an hour.

The weather service issued a wind advisory for all Hawaiian islands last night. Officials warned winds could gust between 30 and 50 miles an hour because of a system making its way across the state.

"There's some gusty winds associated with this shear line," said forecaster Brad Fujii. He said the winds were expected to decrease this morning.

Police reported downed trees and utility poles, many across roadways, in several parts of Oahu last night.

Round Top Drive was closed at Makiki Heights Drive because of at least three fallen trees blocking lanes.

Waianae police said a tree had fallen across Puuhulu Street. Also, a transformer had gone out at Honokai Hale.

Unemori said crews found HECO poles down near Honokai Hale. Waianae police also said two other utility poles were down in the area, one in Maili and another near Kaena Point. Both caused road closures.

The system that brought last night's strong winds also brought intermittent heavy showers. Police said the wet weather may have been a factor in an accident on the North Shore, which left a pedestrian in serious condition.

A 44-year-old man was airlifted to the Queen's Medical Center in serious condition after being struck by a car near Sunset Beach Elementary School, police said. The car involved in the accident allegedly fled the scene.

The incident happened on Kamehameha Highway about 8:30 p.m. Police were investigating the crash last night.

The weather service also issued an urban and small stream flood advisory for Oahu through late last night. A flash flood watch for Kauai was expected to be in effect until this morning.