Torrential rain overnight and this morning flooded scores of homes on Oahu, closed roads and dozens of schools, knocked out power and shut the Arizona Memorial.

More than 10 inches of rain fell at Makaha Stream in the 24 hours that ended at 8 a.m., and more than 4 inches of that fell between 5 a.m. and 8 a.m.

The National Weather Service says an intense low pressure system northwest of the state was responsible for the deluge as it brought moisture-laden clouds to the islands from the south.

The system was expected to begin moving north later today, but there was a still a chance of heavy rain and flooding with the ground already saturated.

Kauai County also received a lot of rain, but Oahu took the brunt of the storm.

The city Department of Emergency Services said the heaviest flooding this morning occurred in Wahiawa, Waianae, Makaha, Laie, Waialua and Hauula.

City workers were working on a clogged storm drain in Waialua which threatened several homes in the area.

There were numerous reports of streams rising quickly and overflowing their banks in Waialua, Ewa and throughout Windward and Leeward Oahu.

Dozens of homes in Makaha flooded as the rain pummeled the area, coming down in torrents all morning.

“I’m glad to be getting out of there, “Mike Eli, 31, said as he tiptoed through knee-high water in the front yard of his sister’s flooded home on Farrington Highway.

Eli said the water was chest high in her home and he came to check up on her. His own Upena Street home was not spared. He and his roommates had to break down a rock wall in his front yard to drain hip-high water.

Scores of homeless people along the Leeward Coast were displaced and face a massive cleanup after the storm subsides.

At about 2 a.m., homeless people at Keaau Beach Park had to pack up and move to the driest area of the park, the public restroom.

“It’s remodeling nature-style,” said Douglas Huntzinger, 51, who has lived at the park for about five years. The wind took most of the tarp for his makeshift home.

“The water is staying offshore, but the runoff from the mountains came off the road and into our tents,” he said. “This is the worst it’s been in a long time.”

Jonathan Auala, who is paralyzed, was sleeping on a couch on the beach when the wind blew the couch over at about 1:30 a.m. He said he yelled for help and other beach residents helped him into his wheelchair and brought him to the restrooms.

“I don’t think anyone was expecting it to be this bad,” Auala said.

Red Cross officials were summoned to the City Hall’s emergency center to determine if any shelters needed to be opened.

A flash-flood warning in effect for Oahu all morning was extended to 1:15 p.m.

Due to heavy rain and wind, the USS Arizona Memorial Visitor Center and Museum, and the Polynesian Cultural Center were closed today. The sites expect to reopen tomorrow.

Nonessential civilian workers at Schofield Barracks and Wheeler Army Airfield were told not to report to work until 1 p.m. today.

Because of flooding at Helemano Military Reservation, the child-care center was closed for the day. Also closed were the two child-care centers and a youth center at Schofield Barracks.

On the North Shore, Waialua Beach Road was closed due to heavy flooding. A stream overflowed its banks, swamping yards and homes.

In East Oahu, Hawaii Kai resident Benny Chu lost half of his roof at about 6 a.m. He was up when “the wind blew the roof covering my living room and parts of my kitchen.”

He has lived in the house at 1082 Wainiha St. for the past nine years.

Traffic during the morning commute was extremely slow because of deep ponding on roadways, small rock and landslides and numerous fender benders.

Power was cut to thousands of Hawaiian Electric Co. customers at various times this morning.

There were no reports of injuries.

More showers were expected to develop tonight and tomorrow, although not as widespread across Oahu, said forecaster John Bravender.

A flash-flood warning for Kauai last night was canceled today, but heavy rain still was possible overnight. A less serious flash-flood watch remained for Kauai, Oahu and Maui County through late tonight.

The storm system will start to move north and weaken tomorrow, but there’s still a 70 percent chance of rain, he said.

Conditions will be unsettled over the weekend, with a 40 percent chance of rain for Sunday’s Honolulu Marathon, he said.

“But there is  more uncertainty as to what’s going to happen to the system.”




Here is a partial list of Oahu schools that were closed today because of the weather:



>> Kahuku High & Intermediate

>> Sunset Beach Elementary

>> Kahuku Elementary

>> Waianae Intermediate

>> Leilehua High

>> Waianae Elementary

>> Pope Elementary

>> Wahiawa Middle

>> Wheeler Middle

>> Hale Kula Elementary

>> Solomon Elementary

>> Wheeler Elementary

>> Waialua High & Intermediate

>> Haleiwa Elementary

>> Waialua Elementary

>> Makaha Elementary

>> Kaaawa Elementary

>> Laie Elementary

>> Hauula Elementary

>> Waianae High

>> Helemano Elementary

>> Nanakuli High & Intermediate

>> Kailua Intermediate

>> Kailua Elementary

>> Waimanalo Elem. & Intermediate



Charter Schools

>> Kamaile Academy PCS 

>> Lanikai Elementary

>> Ke Kula O Samuel Kamakau

>> Hakipuu Learning Center

>> Halau Ku Mana

>> Halau Lokahi

>> Hawaii Technology Academy

>> Ka Waihona O Ka Naauao


http://www.hsblinks.com/1h




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Star-Bulletin reporters Gene Park, Gregg K. Kakesako, Helen Altonn and Star-Bulletin copy editor Jason Seaborn contributed to this report.