At least 74 damage reports filed on Maui after Lala
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High winds and torrential rains from Tropical Storm Lala toppled trees and power lines while causing at least one landslide in Maui County.
Lala produced hurricane-force wind gusts of 85 mph in Olowalu and 82 mph in Ukumehame, along with heavy rain and flooding. The storm left many roads blocked in the Olinda, Makawao, Piiholo and Wailuanui areas.
Hundreds of thousands of customers lost power across the state, including thousands on Maui in the areas of Kula, Haiku, Olinda and Piiholo, along with parts of West, Central and South Maui. Hawaiian Electric said it expects to have power restored to 95% of its customers by Friday.
The Big Island was the hardest hit. One death, a 93-year-old woman, was reported on Hawaii Island where 100 homes were swept away by floodwaters.
As of midday Tuesday, the Maui County Emergency Management Agency had received 74 damage reports from Lala, including many from the Haiku, Olinda, Makawao and Upcountry areas.
In Hana, some trees fell at Wailuanui and there was at least one landslide. "For this one, we just had tons of river running, but it wasn't as bad as other times," said Hana High and Elementary School principal Chris Sanita.
Still, Spectrum and Verizon services have been down since Friday, said Dawn Lono, a Hana resident who subscribes to a satellite internet service. She said she's been receiving updates from Maui Electric and Hawaiian Tel about the status of her service but has been unable to get updates from Spectrum or Verizon.
"It's been a little frustrating," she said.
In Upcountry Maui, trees blocked roads in Olinda and downed power lines. A huge tree fell onto a two-story building at St. Joseph Church in Makawao before 8 a.m. Sunday, destroying a portion of the roof and causing flooding to the interior.
"The water came from the roof that was destroyed by the tree," said Father Edison Pamintuan.
He said the old convent's top 12 rooms for nuns were unoccupied, but the lower floors were used to house the rectory office and places for gatherings.
Father Pamintuan said his church was in the process of seeking bids to remove the tree, as well as looking at removing water and repairing the rooms. Pamintuan said contract bids totaled more than $60,000 to remove the tree and water, along with assessing potential health hazards.
He said the repairs wouldn't begin for at least two weeks to make sure everything was dry.
Up Olinda Road, fallen trees and downed power lines have stopped electrical service for four days, said Kim Alvarez.
"Thank God I have a generator," she said.
Alvarez said the eucalyptus trees along the road have been falling periodically and downing lines.
"They fall because they’ve got such shallow roots," she said.
Damage to state land
In Central Maui, the state Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation reported a sunken vessel in the Maalaea Small Boat Harbor and a nearby damaged dock.
In South Maui, the ʻĀhihi-Kīnaʻu Natural Area Reserve was closed for repairs, tree removal and access clearing in light of downed power lines, according to the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.
Planned hunter access permits for the Kula Forest Reserve have been postponed, in light of extensive wind damage to the forest and the hunter check station.
Water outage
The Maui County Department of Water Supply crews are continuing to respond to a water outage reported Saturday afternoon in the Olinda and Piiholo area. Nine portable water tanks providing drinking water are positioned for affected residents.
Restoring power
Hawaiian Electric said Tuesday it has made significant progress overnight on transmission line repairs and restoration of service.
It said the restoration process prioritizes stabilizing the system, essential community services and areas with the largest number of affected customers. Statewide, of the 60 transmission and subtransmission lines damaged by high winds and uprooted trees during Lala, 30 have been repaired.
"This is critical work to reconnect power generation to the island grids, but transmission lines often cross through remote areas, making access and repairs challenging," Hawaiian Electric said Tuesday.
Helicopters and drones were being deployed on Oahu, Hawaii Island and Maui to assist with ongoing damage assessments in remote areas with rugged terrain, according to Hawaiian Electric.
On Tuesday, crews focused on repairs in Kula, Alaluana, Olinda, Piiholo, and Haiku and pocket outages in West Maui, Central and South Maui, East Maui, Molokai and Lanai.
In Upcountry, large, downed trees are being cleared in certain areas before repairs can be made. Maui had nine transmission/subtransmission lines affected by the storm and six have been restored.
Customers can call Hawaiian Electric at 1-855-304-8181 to report any downed power lines, which should always be treated as energized and dangerous.
Reporting damage
Residents and businesses are encouraged to report storm damage to private property through Crisis Track at mauirecovers.org.
Reports help the county document damage and support recovery efforts. Submitting a report does not provide direct assistance to individuals or businesses, but it helps the county document the full extent of storm damage.
Damage to public roads, infrastructure or county-managed areas should be reported through tinyurl.com/mauicountylala. For help completing a damage assessment, call Maui Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) at (808) 270-7285.
Green waste disposal
Maui residents cleaning up after Tropical Storm Lala may dispose of green waste at the Central Maui Landfill, 1 Pulehu Road in Puunene, or the Hawaii Organics Compost facility at Kuihelani and Honoapiilani highways in Waikapu.
Green waste includes tree branches, leaves, grass clippings, brush, shrubs and other plant material from yards, landscaping or storm cleanup.
The county also is offering 30-yard roll-off bins on a first-come, first-served basis.
Properties must have enough room for trucks to deliver and retrieve the containers. Only one bin may be requested at a time, and it may remain on-site for up to seven days.
To request a bin, call the county Department of Environmental Management at 808-270-7631.