Kona low recovery: Over 3,000 residents still without power, brown water advisory issued for west, south shores

Update at 2 p.m. March 17: Ten tree trimming crews are cutting and removing trees that caused extensive damage to power lines and utility poles on the Big Island.

After roadways are clear, Hawaiian Electric crews can access the impacted areas affecting 2,500 customers in Puna, 250 in North Kona and 100 in South Kona. However, restoring electricity may take long in some areas that were hardest hit with locally-heavy downpours.

Weather has resulted in significant flooding, sinkholes, landslides and downed vegetation. Underground lines in particular cannot be accessed until flood waters recede or are pumped out and the thick mud is removed.

On Hawai‘i Island, there was maximum rainfall of 38.77 inches with wind gusts up to 135 mph.

Crews are currently working to fix more than 50 damaged or broken poles and multiple spans of downed power lines in Hawaiian Acres, Hawaiian Beaches, Hawaiian Paradise Park, Kapoho and Volcano in Puna. Response has been slowed due to several Albizia trees falling on vacant private property as well as weather conditions resulting in heavily saturated grounds.

In North Kona, crews are clearing fallen trees and debris in Kailua-Kona and Makalei, where response has been slowed due to weather conditions and accessibility. Some of the muddy, washed out roads require special equipment and rough terrain roads often require hiking.

“In the aftermath of the Kona Low event, our crews are working tirelessly under adverse conditions and we appreciate the public’s continued understanding during this long and complex process to restore power to everyone,” said Jim Alberts, Hawaiian Electric senior vice president and chief operations officer.

For more information, visit the Hawaiian Electric Storm Restoration Process.

Update at 1:20 p.m. March 17: A brown water advisory has been issued for shorelines from Ki’ilae Bay in South Kona to Kalae Point (South Point) in Kaʻū.

The Hawaiʻi Department of Health is advising beach users to stay out of waters when the water appears brown or murky, especially following storms or heavy rain since water may contain higher than normal pollutant levels.

The Department of Health recommends staying out of the water for 48 to 72 hours after the rain has stopped and after the beach has received full sunshine. The department also advises the public to avoid swimming, wading in, or drinking water from any freshwater streams or ponds to prevent leptospirosis –– a bacterial infection caused by the Leptospira bacteria.

A brown water advisory is still in effect for Spencer Beach Park in South Kohala to Kahaluʻu Beach Park in North Kona. All beach parks under advisory remain closed.

For more information, visit the Department of Health website.

Original story at 11:30 a.m. March 17: Power was restored to about 100 customers overnight. There are 3,700 customers who remain without power, mostly in the Puna area, according to Hawaiian Electric.

The storm caused high winds that toppled trees and damaged or broke 50 poles, downing multiple spans of power lines, mostly in Hawaiian Beaches, Volcano, and Kapoho.

Tree trimmers are working to clear blocked roadways, allowing crews to access the areas, make repairs, and restore power to Puna residents.

For those experiencing a water outage, the County of Hawaiʻi water spigots across Hawaiʻi Island are available. For a list of water spigot locations, please refer to the Department of Water Supply website or the County of Hawaiʻi Hazard Impact Map.

All county beach parks from Spencer Beach Park in South Kohala to Kahaluʻu Beach Park in North Kona remain closed due to the brown water advisory from the Department of Health.

The County of Hawaiʻi Civil Defense Agency is conducting damage assessments from the recent storm.

Residents and businesses are encouraged to report storm damage to help local officials and nonprofit partners better understand the extent of damage and its impact on the community.

Please self-report by visiting the County of Hawaiʻi website, or the County of Hawaiʻi Civil Defense Agency website.