Aliʻi Drive, fronting the Royal Kona Resort is closed to traffic due to utility poles that fell on the roadway.
At approximately 7:10 a.m., Hawaiian Electric reported 2,939 customers were without power from the top of Kaiwi Street down to Lunapule Road. Hawaiian Electric reports three poles down in the area. Crews are working on repairs. Motorists are advised to use alternate routes.
As of 9 a.m., Hawaiian Electric reports 200 customers without power between Hualalai and Lunapule Roads. Crews are working to safely restore power.
9a Kailua-Kona update: ~200 without between Hualalai and Lunapule. Crews are working to safely restored power. Mahalo for your patience. #BigIslandOutagepic.twitter.com/XMRDbKfl4q
— Hawaiian Electric – Hawaii Island (@HIElectricLight) January 21, 2022
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William Gest, a guest at the Kona Beach Hostel, told Big Island Now this morning he was in his room when he heard a crack and then a crash, followed by a power discharge. He described the noise as loud “it shook everything.”
“There were two cars that got caught in the wires and nobody appeared to be hurt,” Gest said. “They were stuck in there because there were live wires sparking all around them for a little while.”
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Eventually, Gest said firefighters arrived on scene and “shooed all the gawking tourists.” Motorists trapped in their cars eventually were able to get out after the power was shut off.
710a: ~2939 customers without power from top of Kaiwi Down to Lunapule Rd area. Outage due to motor vehicle accident. 1st responder en route. Mahalo for your patience. #BigIslandOutage
— Hawaiian Electric – Hawaii Island (@HIElectricLight) January 21, 2022
8a: Alii Dr. fronting the Royal Kona Resort, Kailua-Kona is closed to traffic due to motor vehicle accident. There are 3 downed utility poles in the area. Motorists are advised to use alternate routes. Crews are working on repairs. Mahalo #BigIslandOutage#HiTraffic
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— Hawaiian Electric – Hawaii Island (@HIElectricLight) January 21, 2022
Tiffany DeMasters Tiffany DeMasters is a full-time reporter for Pacific Media Group. Tiffany worked as the cops and courts reporter for West Hawaii Today from 2017 to 2019. She also contributed stories to Ke Ola Magazine and Honolulu Civil Beat.
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