Schools close after
rains soak Waimea
More than 7,000 Waimea residents are expected to remain without water well into the week after two 12-inch water mains split yesterday during heavy thunderstorms on the Big Island.
The storms also flooded several homes, closed roads and kept emergency workers busy.
Waimea Intermediate and Elementary schools, Parker School, Hawaii Montessori and Small World Preschool are closed today because of the water line breaks, which technicians could not get to last night because they were still underwater.
Administrators at other Waimea area schools, including Kamehameha Preschool and Montessori Education Center, could not be reached for comment.
Students at Kanu O Kaaina public charter school in Waimea will take an early spring break beginning today, after their school sustained flood damage during heavy rains, according to state Department of Education spokesman Greg Knudsen.
Yesterday's rains closed several roads near Waimea for hours, slowing traffic and forcing officials to temporarily open shelters for stranded motorists.
"At one point in time, we had every road out of Waimea flooding," said Hawaii County Civil Defense Administrator Troy Kindred.
Three Honokaa residents were lifted to safety when three streams near their home overflowed, flooding streets and trapping other residents for much of the day.
Big Island fire officials said a 3-year-old, her grandmother and another woman were seen waving for help and picked up by helicopter at about 1:30 p.m. The three were dropped off at the top of Waipio Valley Road and met by family members.
Residents in another 17 homes in the area were unable to leave while the main road was underwater, Hawaii County fire officials said.
All of the island's roads, except Kohala Mountain Road, were reopened by yesterday afternoon. Kohala Mountain Road was expected to reopen today, after sustaining rain damage yesterday afternoon.
At the storm's height, the National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for much of the Big Island, including Kona, Kohala and Hilo. During the 24-hour period ending at 5:45 p.m. yesterday, Waimea saw 9.8 inches of rain, and about 8 inches fell on both Honokaa and Kahua Ranch.
"They got some pretty good showers," said National Weather Service forecaster Norman Hui. A flash flood watch remained in effect for the entire island until 4 this morning, with heavy rains expected to persist for the Big Island's windward side.