Constant deluge taking emotional toll on residents

Jenny Cheng says she is at wits' end after the fifth time heavy rains have slammed her Kaneohe home during the recent storms.

Sunday's heavy downpour flooded her home. "Nothing was spared," said Cheng, of 46-171 Heeia St. "We lost a lot."

Though Oahu received a break from the heavy rain yesterday, many residents mostly on the Windward side remain frustrated after most or all their furniture and personal items were damaged. And more rain is predicted to arrive later this week.

Kauai is expected to receive the brunt of a thunderstorm, and a flash-flood watch could be in effect tomorrow and Thursday, said Bob Farrell, forecaster of the National Weather Service. The thunderstorm is also likely to affect Oahu. "Those who have experienced problems should be ready to experience them again," Farrell said. "They should do everything they can to mitigate the problem.

"Because the soil is so saturated, any rains, especially on Kauai and Oahu, will be dangerous," he added.

Some residents wonder how they can keep the waters from ruining their homes.

"Everything is happening so fast. The only thing we can do is take things one day at a time," Cheng said.

Water that flooded the intersection of Alaloa and Heeia streets poured into her home, located on one corner. Her home is also located near the Alaloa Street bridge over Heeia Stream. Flattened vegetation was observed from the water that rampaged down the stream Sunday.

Cheng speculated that the storm drain near her home was clogged and could not drain properly.

Stacks of sandbags weighed down by cement blocks were in front of her garage. Cheng said she plans to leave the sandbags in place for protection against the predicted rain.

Many residents inundated by Sunday's heavy downpour also are worried about mold in their homes.

Nicholas Pedro of 45-523-D Pahia Road said water overflowed from Keaahala Stream, forcing his neighbor to evacuate from her home.

The surface of her wooden front door started to peel from the bottom after about two feet of water filled her two-bedroom apartment within 1-1/2 minutes, Pedro said. "Everything is totally destroyed," he said of his neighbor's apartment.

Pedro said the woman, who is a teacher, said all her books and papers floated out her doorway. Their landlord was expected to assess the home yesterday.

Meanwhile, Pedro, a caretaker of homes in the area, took the day off from his landscaping job at a condominium yesterday to cut a 15-foot tree lodged under a wooden bridge behind his home. The tree, combined with raging water, pushed one side of the wooden bridge about two feet from its original spot. "I've never seen anything like it," said Pedro, a 14-year Pahia Road resident. "I've never seen the water crest and go over the banks."

Pedro said he plans to cut the tree into smaller pieces before the next thunderstorm arrives. "I'm worried about more debris coming down," he said.

Crew members from the Department of Facility Maintenance were also busy clearing stream beds of debris yesterday, said city spokesman Mark Matsunaga.

Kerena Vegas of Punaluu received help from members of the Hawaii Job Corps to stack cement blocks around her home after water flooded her home and property for the second time this month.

Vegas, of 53-065 Kamehameha Highway, said she fears the next batch of heavy rains might uproot her house.