Local News

Crews working to clear Maui roads after flooding from Lowell

Maui County and state crews are working to clear roads in South Maui and other parts of the county after coastal flooding from Hurricane Lowell deposited mud and debris and damaged transportation infrastructure.

Lowell passed closest to Kauai County overnight as a Category 2 hurricane before weakening to Category 1 and moving north away from the state. Kauai sustained some of the state's most significant damage.

In Maui County, roads affected Tuesday morning included portions of North and South Kihei roads in South Maui and Front Street from Kapululoa Place north to Honoapiilani Highway in both directions in West Maui.

Drivers were advised to avoid affected areas, use alternate routes and allow additional travel time. They should not drive around barricades or attempt to cross flooded roads.

Because conditions and closures may change, motorists should check the county's road-closure website at mauicounty.gov/roadclosures before traveling.

Maui County also opened temporary service sites at 8 a.m. Tuesday for residents affected by coastal flooding and road closures.

The sites are at the Lahaina Civic Center, 1840 Honoapiilani Highway, and Velma McWayne Santos Community Center, 395 Waena St. in Wailuku.

The facilities are intended to support residents during prolonged road closures, power outages or Public Safety Power Shutoffs and offer charging stations for personal electronic devices.

Residents using the sites should bring food, drinking water, medications, charging cables and other essential items. Pets are permitted in crates. The sites may be converted into overnight emergency shelters if necessary.

High tides, dangerous surf and coastal flooding were expected to continue through Tuesday.

The Hawaii Department of Health also issued a Brown Water Advisory for the coastline from Maalaea to Keawakapu.

Beachgoers should avoid water that appears brown or murky following storms or heavy rain, even in areas where an advisory has not been issued. Stormwater runoff may carry higher-than-normal levels of pollutants into coastal waters.

The department recommends avoiding affected waters for 48 to 72 hours after rain has stopped and the area has received full sunshine. The public also should avoid swimming or wading in freshwater streams and ponds or drinking from them because of the risk of leptospirosis, a bacterial infection.

Advisory updates are available at eha-cloud.doh.hawaii.gov/cwb/#!/event/2132/details/view.