CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARBULLETIN.COM Kainoa Dela Cruz seemingly had the whole of Waikiki Beach to himself yesterday as rain drove most people indoors. "This is the best time to come here," Dela Cruz said.

Isles brace for more
heavy rain today

Unstable air dumps heavy rains
that flooded homes

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By Gary T. Kubota
gkubota@starbulletin.com

WAILUKU >> Torrential rains caused flooding in Kalamaula in central Molokai yesterday, including at the two-story home of entertainer Zachary Helm.

"Everything downstairs is damaged," Helm said.

Helm estimated the flooding caused at least $50,000 in damage. He said he awoke about 3 a.m. to constant heavy rain.

"I said I think this is a big one coming," he said.

The threat of more heavy showers and thundershowers will last through today, according to the National Weather Service, because of what officials described as an unstable air mass over the state. But forecasters predicted drier, more stable weather over the weekend, including the return of the tradewinds.

The storm system dumped 2.69 inches of rain on Kaunakakai, Molokai, in the 24-hour period ending at 8 p.m. last night, and that was in addition to the nearly inch of rain that fell in the same area the night before, according to the weather service.

Anahola, Kauai, received 4 inches of rain yesterday, and Kihei, Maui, got 4.5 inches earlier this week.

Weather officials are also predicting what could be the first big swell of the winter surf season. A high-surf advisory went into affect yesterday for the northwest-facing shores of all islands.

High surf began arriving todday and Forecasters said wave fronts could reach 15 to 20 feet high today.

Helm said a nearby stream overflowed its banks and swept into his 2 1/2 acre property, leaving portions of it under 9 feet of water.

At its peak the water was 3 to 4 feet high on the bottom floor of his two-story house, damaging his appliances and his musical equipment, he said.

An outside propane tank connected to his home floated away.

Helm said the flooding was the first for him since he moved into his house in 1990. He said he and his family are staying on the second floor but are unable to turn on the electricity on the bottom floor, fearing power problems.

At another house in Kalamaula, George Kahinu said he was not sure about the amount of damage to his property, including water damage to a carpet and to outside freezers.

"When I woke up, I thought I had a houseboat," Kahinu said. "I couldn't believe what I saw."

He said floodwaters as high as 2 feet surrounded the house, which is higher than the land around it.

"We're still walking in water," he said. "We hope it will be all right."

Kahinu said it is the worst flooding on the property in 26 years, and he thinks after the rains have subsided, government officials should look at ways of improving the drainage.

Kahinu said friends and county workers stopped by to help clean up, and water that flooded the cesspool was being pumped out of his property.

"Thank God we get help from friends on Molokai," he said. "I got a lot of people who stopped by and helped."