Honolulu officials lifted evacuation orders for Otake, Waialua and Haleiwa on Saturday and closed most emergency shelters as conditions improved following flooding that destroyed homes and displaced families.
Fire Chief Kalani Hau said the Waialua fire station was inundated with water. The department is making contingency plans for an off-site location to continue providing services.
At one point during the storm, 53 of the city’s 60 fire stations had crews in the field responding to 911 calls, Blangiardi said.
Interim Police Chief Raddy Vanic said access into Waialua is limited to local traffic only as residents return and crews continue cleanup work.
Blangiardi said the second Kona low was expected to be considerably weaker than the first storm, but rainfall exceeded forecasts.
“What was supposed to be two to three inches of rain, it became 10 in a matter of only three hours,” Blangiardi said. “And that is what’s really created a lot of tension and quite honestly, damage over the last 48 hours.”
The two storm systems brought between 30 and 40 inches of rain to many parts of Oahu.
“We have a lot of concern because at this level, because everything is so saturated and the rivers are so full, it doesn’t take much to bring that flooding back,” Blangiardi said. “So I’m not breathing a sigh of relief yet right now.”
Mayor Rick Blangiardi said first responders conducted 233 rescues during the storm, with no reported fatalities.
Randy Collins, director of the Department of Emergency Management, said most shelters were closing Saturday evening. Shelters at Kaneohe District Park and Nanakuli High and Intermediate will remain open for residents who need services.
The Emergency Operations Center was activated at 11 p.m. Thursday night as the storm intensified.
