Woman Rescued From Bus on Flooded Highway

Flood conditions pose a danger to all motorists regardless of vehicle type, as was illustrated by a Hawai′i Fire Department rapid water rescue in the early morning hours Sunday.

Firefighters in Kā′u received a report at 12:13 a.m. of a driver in distress. A 72-year-old female operating a bus attempted to cross a “flowing river” of water spilling across Highway 11 in the area of Kawa Flats.

Company 11 responded and was able to successfully extract the woman, who escaped the incident unharmed. She was the only occupant of the vehicle.

Hilo police said Sunday that no other rescue operations had been conducted over a night of pounding rain that caused several road closures, many of which remained in effect as of 10 a.m. Sunday.

Authorities advise Big Islanders stay off the roads unless driving is absolutely necessary.