Kauai gardens hit
again by storm

LIHUE » For the second time in two weeks, the National Tropical Botanical Gardens in Lawai are closed to clean up storm damage.

A storm front that pushed through Kauai on Saturday night caused considerable wind damage even though neighboring areas of Kauai's south shore were unaffected.

Assistant Director Scott Sloan said he suspects the gardens may have been hit by tornados, although the National Weather Service did not report any and no one spotted any funnel clouds.

Lawai's two National Tropical Botanical Gardens -- there are several throughout Hawaii -- consist of the 100-acre Allerton Gardens and the adjoining 180-acre McBryde Gardens.

Both are in a valley surrounded by fallow agricultural land, which is why no other damage was evident, Sloan said.

The winds ripped part of the roof off a new building, destroyed a greenhouse and damaged many mature plants, although none were destroyed. Sloan said there are patches of damage and patches where there is no damage at all, which he believes points toward a tornado.

Two employees were on the property at the time of the storm, but neither saw any funnel clouds. Sloan said they didn't see much of anything because the wind and the rain were so intense. He said one worker described the storm "like being in a car wash."

The gardens had been reopened for only two days following cleanup from the New Year's Day flooding caused by the previous storm front, Sloan said.

Sloan said the building damage was insured, but the damage to plants was not. The gardens are seeking donations to help pay for an arborist to care for the damaged trees.