Looks Like We Got Out of There Just In Time

I've already told you about our just completed rainy week in Kauai, but the rains didn't quit when we left. In fact, things got worse and both Kauai and especially Oahu are having big problems. At Punaluu on the big island, they measured 22.84 inches of rain in just 3 days. Kauai has their problems as well:

On Kauai the rain caused some minor flooding, rockslides and a treated-sewage spill at a popular small-boat harbor near Waimea. Waste-water officials said they released the waste water at the Waimea plant into the ocean after flooding overloaded the system.

Also on Kauai’s leeward side, flooding and a minor rockslide caused lane closures of the main thoroughfares through the Kalaheo-Eleele area early yesterday morning. The problem spots were cleared by daybreak yesterday, said Kauai Civil Defense administrator Gregg Morishige.

The rain spurred the state Department of Land and Natural Resources to stop issuing camping permits for Kauai state parks, along with Malaekahana State Recreation Area and Kahana Valley State Park on Oahu, until the bad weather subsides.

“We advise the public to avoid trails or streams during the stormy conditions,” said DLNR Chairman Peter Young.

We ate lunch in Waimea on Tuesday, and traveled through there on Monday when we went up to the top of Waimea Canyon. That wouldn't have been a fun trip in heavy rain. Both days we drove through the Kalaheo-Eleele area on the way to and from Waimea, and the highway in that area (and in fact, most of the island) is one lane each way. When traffic backs up, it really backs up.

I'm glad we got home before things got really wet.