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UPDATE: 2 p.m.
As Hawaiian Electric crew members continue with repairs, electricity in much of downtown Honolulu is expected to be fully restored by Wednesday morning, the utility company said.
Much of downtown Honolulu will likely remain without power tonight due to high-voltage cables damaged by flooding.
More than 50 crew members work tirelessly to repair damaged equipment at the flooded Iwilei substation and numerous underground vaults containing the cables.
After crews pumped water from some of the underground vaults, they found about 300 feet of high-voltage cable damaged by the flooding, Hawaiian Electric said.
After repairs are complete, utility will need to test the equipment before power is restored.
In a press release, Jim Alberts, senior vice president of operations, said: “It is possible that some customers will be recovered tonight, but it looks like most of the area affected by this extraordinary weather event will not return in line that tomorrow. We want residents and business owners to have this information so they can plan ahead. “
One of the customers affected by the outage is KBFD TV. In a statement, station chairman Jeff Chung said, “KBFD TV will be back on as soon as power is restored to downtown Honolulu. We would like to thank everyone for their support and patience. KBFD will adjust our schedule so that you don’t miss your favorite K drama.
10:35 am
The Honolulu Fire Department responded to 90 storm-related calls from 6 a.m. Monday to 6 a.m. today as heavy rains from the lower Kona system hit Oahu.
Of the 90 calls, the firefighters responded to 55 flooded houses, 7 downed trees, 7 electrical short circuits, 6 downed power lines, 4 blown roofs, 4 arc wires, 3 white water rescues, 2 rescues of stuck vehicles in high water and 2 landslides.
City workers are also busy cleaning affected roads from mud and storm debris. Workers are currently working to clear a landslide in the Round Top Drive area.
Teams are also working to remove rocks from Beach Road in the Diamond Head area.
The impacts of the storm also prompted the Circuit Court, Honolulu District Court and appeals courts to close today. All other state courts remain open.
The Hawaii State Judiciary has said that today’s canceled hearings or trials will be postponed to the next available date.
All courthouses in the affected states are expected to reopen on Wednesday.
9:35 am
Hawaiian Electric crew members continue to work on repairs this morning to fully restore power to downtown Honolulu.
Spokeswoman Shannon Tangonan said they aim to restore power by the end of the day.
Crew members worked through the night to restore service to six downtown buildings – the State Capitol, the State District Court, the Central Bank of the Pacific, the First Hawaiian Bank, the City Municipal Building and State Office Building – after repairing one of three storm-affected transformers.
Workers are currently pumping water through vaults that house the other two transformers before they can begin repairs. Heavy rains from Monday night’s storm hit transformers at the Iwilei substation.
Rain combined with high tide that peaked shortly after 7 a.m. today is hampering repair efforts.
“It’s really just trying to fight the elements at this point,” Tangonan said. “It’s difficult. It really delays our work to get everyone back on their feet.
Meanwhile, police are controlling traffic at downtown intersections as the blackout also impacted traffic lights in the area. Motorists are advised to exercise caution.
7:25
A lane on Farrington Highway in Makua Cave in Leeward Oahu is open to motorists as crews continue to clean up mud from a landslide, according to the Hawaii Department of Transportation. The teams will continue to work in the area throughout the day.
The transportation department has advised the public to check your routes through Google Maps, Apple Maps, or Waze for any road closures before setting off.
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The flash flood warning for Oahu has expired, but the island and County of Kauai remain under flood watch this afternoon.
The Honolulu National Weather Service says flash floods caused by excessive precipitation are still possible in Kauai, Niihau and Oahu.
“Rains of this magnitude can cause catastrophic flooding and affect areas that are usually not flooded,” the weather service said. “Low points on the roads will become dangerous and impassable due to the heavy runoff. Debris in streams and ravines can clog bridges and culverts, leading to dangerous flooding. Many landslides are expected in areas with steep relief. Additional heavy rainfall over Oahu could cause severe flooding as six to ten inches of rain has fallen across the island since Monday.
Forecasters say heavy rains will continue over Oahu and County Kauai as a Kona low draws deep tropical moisture to the western end of the island range, threatening heavy rains and a few thunderstorms with heavy rain. wind gusts.
Forecast for the whole state calls for the Kona low to the northwest of the islands to move away from the region on Wednesday.
“A drier air mass from the east has started to reach Big Island and Maui, but a few heavy showers are possible over Maui County this morning. A more windy and drier trade wind will extend over all islands by Thursday, continuing through the weekend, ”the weather service said.
A landslide on Farrington Highway at Makua Cave on the Leeward Coast has caused the pavement to close as the storm continues to wreak havoc in Hawaii, according to the Hawaii Department of Transportation.
The affected portion of the highway is closed as crew members continue to work to clear the thick mud.
Meanwhile, a large tree blocks Kapaa Quarry Road in Kailua.
The Honolulu Fire Department remained busy Monday night with downed trees and power lines, rapid water rescues and homes flooded.
At approximately 7:20 p.m., firefighters rescued a woman trapped in a room of her home in Pearl City after a wall collapsed due to floodwaters surrounding the residence.
School closures in Oahu include Pearl City Highlands Elementary Farrington High and Red Hill Elementary, the state Department of Education announced in a tweet this morning.
At 7 a.m., Hawaiian Electric said power had been restored to the following buildings in downtown Honolulu: State Capitol, State District Court, Central Pacific Bank, the First Hawaiian Bank, the City Municipal Building, and the State Office Building. Teams continue to work on repairs, HECO said.
