Darby Moves On After Drenching Islands; Cleanup Begins
UPDATED: The tropical storm dumped 7 inches of rain on East Oahu in three hours.
Punctuated by flashes of lightning, Tropical Storm Darby dumped 7 inches of rain on East Oahu in three hours Sunday as it moved across the island chain.
By Monday, it had weakened to a tropical depression, but a flash flood watch was in effect for Oahu and Kauai counties until noon, with the possibility of more rain.
Police reopened the westbound H-1 lanes at School Street on Monday morning after closing them last night when they were inundated.
The Honolulu Fire Department said it received dozens of calls from residents who needed to be evacuated from their flooded homes, KHON reported.Waves from Tropical Storm Darby crash against Bay Front Highway in Hilo on Saturday.
The city’s Department of Environmental Services responded last night to a sanitary sewer overflow near the Ala Moana Shopping Center. The spill was stopped after an estimated 1,000 gallons spilled. The placing of warning signs and the gathering water samples was to begin this morning.
Brown water alerts were issued for Oahu, Maui and Hawaii counties, and people were urged to stay out of flood waters and storm water runoff.
Earlier Sunday, people getting too close to the high surf seemed like the storm’s biggest hazard. Oahu lifeguards took to their PA systems to warn people not to stray beyond the parking lots of east shore beaches and viewpoints to watch the crashing surf.
Darby was barely strong enough to maintain its tropical storm status, with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph. But it still packed plenty of precipitation.
Honolulu provided evacuation shuttle service Sunday on routes to each of seven American Red Cross evacuation shelters. The special service was discontinued by mid-afternoon, but the shelters remained open.
Government officials, utility providers and others have been preparing for Darby’s potential impacts to Hawaii residents, visitors and businesses for several days.
Hawaii Electric Light on the Big Island has been working on power outages on the Big Island. HELCO offers a handbook for preparedness online here.
Since Tropical Storm Iselle hit in 2014, HELCO has spent an estimated $14 million to clear trees and other vegetation such as eucalyptus and palms that may topple and damage power lines, HELCO said in a release.
Almost 94,000 trees were cleared, 31,000 of which were albizia, the release says. The company regularly inspects trees and contracts certified vegetation management crews to trim trees growing into power lines along roadways and throughout the island.
Gov. David Ige signed an emergency proclamation Friday that authorizes money for quick relief of disaster-related damages, losses and suffering resulting from the storm.
“Our top priority is to protect the health, safety and welfare of Hawaii’s residents and visitors,” Ige said in a release. “I urge residents and businesses to follow emergency instructions, prepare for the storm and take steps to protect your families, employees and property.”
Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz directed constituents to the Red Cross Natural Disaster apps. To download the Hurricane App, go here or text “GETCANE” to 90999.
