An islandwide power outage left Molokai without electricity Saturday afternoon after a large tree fell and took down several power poles and electric lines in Kualapuu, a Maui Electric Co. spokeswoman reported.
The incident occurred at approximately 1:45 p.m., said spokeswoman Kau'i Awai-Dickson, and Maui Electric crews were able to reroute power and restore service to parts of the island within an hour.
But as of 7:15 p.m., other parts of the island did not have power restored.
The numbers of customers affected and those without power were not immediately available.
Awai-Dickson said repair crews were "working hard to bring additional customers back on line.
"However, due to the extent of the damage, some areas remain without power until crews can resume work tomorrow at daylight," she said.
Residents without power were advised to keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed to keep food cold. And, flame burners should not be used indoors, officials said.
Residents using a generator should be sure it is properly grounded and situated in a well-ventilated area outdoors.
In Kahului, a large tree fell onto Puunene Avenue at 2 p.m. Saturday, forcing the closure of both traffic lanes between Wakea Avenue and West Kauai Street, Maui County officials said.
Drivers were asked to avoid the area and find alternate routes. The road reopened at 5:52 p.m.
The National Weather Service issued a high-wind advisory until 4 a.m. today for Maui, Molokai and Kahoolawe. The advisory predicts winds out of the east blowing from 20 to 30 mph, with gusts of up to 45 mph.
Weather forecasters said that a strong, high-pressure system northwest of the islands and a low-pressure trough near Kauai would separately bring in winds across the state.
On Saturday morning, Maui County canceled its advisory for Central and South Maui residents to boil water as a precaution after storm water made its way into a wellhead, called Shaft 33, at the foot of Iao Valley. Water-quality tests results showed that water from the well was safe to drink, officials said.
While wind advisories were in effect Saturday, the day marked the first time in nearly a week that no island in the Hawaiian chain was under a flood watch or warning, forecasters said.
Hawaii State Civil Defense officials activated a toll-free phone number - (855) 211-7456, ext. 654 - for people to report storm damage to homes, businesses or property.
If a call is not answered, callers are urged to leave their names, phone numbers and island of residence. Accurate damage reports will help determine whether the state qualifies for supplemental federal disaster aid. Reporting does not guarantee financial assistance for repairs. Photo documentation of damage is recommended.
Maui's windward and mauka regions can expect windy conditions and partly sunny skies today, with isolated showers in leeward areas. Highs should range from 77 to 82 degrees.
Meanwhile, beachgoers were urged to stay out of the ocean on Maui and Molokai's east-facing shores until 6 a.m. Monday because of rough and choppy waves and possible rip currents, forecasters said. The wave faces were expected to be 6 to 10 feet high.
