Hawaii Still Reeling From Extensive Damage After Persistent Flooding Due to Blizzard

While Kauai remained under a flash flood watch overnight, Oahu started drying up Tuesday after a serious winter storm hit places across the island Monday, bringing record rainfall and gusts. People made effort to save memories from damaged houses. Kindergarteners in an elementary school didn't attend classes Tuesday as a result of the flood.

(Photo : Getty Images)

Impacts of Persistent Flooding

From 6 a.m. Monday, Honolulu Fire Department units responded to 90 flood-related calls, including 55 flooded residences, three swift-water rescues, and two car extrications, according to Surrey Now-Leader.

Hawaiian Electric Co. executives were confident Tuesday that technicians could restore power to most customers by this morning, despite the hurricane on Monday. And it expects to restore electricity to 70% of downtown consumers by Tuesday night.

Wednesday was a holiday except for two public schools. Floodwaters hit four kindergarten classrooms at 1:30 p.m. on Monday. 

The school's E Building was flooded within five to ten minutes, said Principal Zachary Sheets. Classes wade through ankle-deep water. The other classes escaped.

"There was so much rain at the time," he said. "It didn't seem to be draining. Even the drain above where it happened, water was bubbling up from it." 

It will take weeks, if not months, to clean and replace porous items including classroom libraries, student materials, shelves, and cupboards.

Also Read: Unpredictable Weather May Lead to Flash Flooding and Rain Hazards

Plight of Affected Residents

Chandra Sugitaya of Pearl City reported her grandniece's kindergarten class stood on their desks and the instructors lifted them to safety. 

Sugitaya, who lives below the school, was also flooded. Water poured in twice, Sugitaya stated. She said the water rushed inside her home and she also saw water rush into every bedroom and bathroom in a flash.

She found six municipal rubbish containers and a 55-gallon drum in her yard, and water took an aluminum storage shed off its foundation. The couple didn't thought to get flood insurance since their home wasn't in a flood zone, so they lost practically everything.

The flooding from the school may force her and her husband to reconstruct their home, which was his grandmother's.

Sugitaya says clogged sewers in the older area are to blame. The water drained after municipal employees freed them, but Sugitaya claimed the drains clogged again following four strong downpours.

Water poured out of Sugitaya's yard onto Moanalua Road and into the residences makai. The water was six inches deep in the two-story residence on Noelani Street.

Eventually, she consented to leave early Tuesday morning with her neighbors. She has refused assistance cleaning until she has sorted through her personal items, including childhood picture albums and her children's graduation photographs.

"I don't want to break down and cry when they're with me," she said as she started sobbing.

(Photo : Getty Images)

Government Response to the Situation

The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency advised citizens to take video and pictures of damage to help with insurance claims and recovery efforts.

The government advises people to avoid wading through flood water that may be tainted with sewage or electrically charged, and to be mindful of concealed structural damage. 

By Tuesday afternoon, Hawaiian Electric Co. employees had rebuilt two of three failing transformers, restoring electricity to downtown Honolulu businesses and households. Flooding at the Iwilei substation destroyed the transformers.

By Tuesday morning, one had been restored, allowing Hawaiian Electric to restore power to the state Capitol, State Office Building, City Municipal Building, Central Pacific Bank and First Hawaiian Bank, among others.

Twelve more buildings should have electricity restored Tuesday night.

Related Article: Coast Guards Rescue 50 People from Heavy Rain and Floods in the Pacific Northwest

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