Hawaii Power Outage Map, Updates As Flash Flood Warning Extended

Thousands of people in Honolulu were reported to be without power on Wednesday, including those in Kahala, Kapahulu, Palolo, Waikiki, Manoa, Moiliili and Makiki, following severe weather and flooding in Oahu this week.

A Flash Flood Warning in Oahu, for the town of Kailua as well as Honolulu’s Kaneohe and Pearl City areas, has been extended until 12:30 a.m. HST on March 11. An Areal Flood Advisory was also issued for Honolulu and will be in place until 12:30 a.m. HST on March 11, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).

More than 8,800 customers with Hawaii Electric, which provides electricity for 95 percent of the state’s residents, have reported power cuts, according to PowerOutage.US, at the time of reporting on Thursday.

Power has been restored to customers in some parts, while “crews continue to work to safely restore power to customers in remaining affected areas,” Hawaii Electric tweeted Thursday.

A map of the latest power outages across Oahu can be seen at the Hawaii Electric website.

Some other areas in Oahu that will see flash flooding include Waiahole, Waikane, Kahaluu, Ahuimanu, Aiea, Halawa, Kaaawa, Moanalua, Salt Lake, Punaluu, Mililani, Kalihi, Kaneohe Marine Base, Wahiawa, Maunawili, Hauula and Manoa, the NWS warned Wednesday.

A Flash Flood Warning is issued when a flash flood is imminent or occurring. The NWS explains: “A flash flood is a sudden violent flood that can take from minutes to hours to develop. It is even possible to experience a flash flood in areas not immediately receiving rain.

“If you are in a flood prone area move immediately to high ground.”

A Flash Flood Watch is in effect across Oahu until 6 p.m. local time on Friday. “A flash flood watch means that conditions are favorable for flooding, which can be life threatening,” Rick Blangiardi, the mayor of the city and county of Honolulu, tweeted Wednesday.

Wet weather is expected through the weekend, with the threat of flash flooding raised across the state through Friday, especially in its western portion, due to elevated water levels.

“Light to moderate southerly winds will hold through Friday, then shift out of the north-northeast and become strong over the western end of the state by Saturday as high pressure builds to the north behind a cold front,” the NWS said Thursday.

On Wednesday, Hawaii Island, the state’s largest island, was hit with a 4.2-magnitude earthquake beneath the southeast flank of Mauna Loa at 2:21 p.m. HST.

The U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) said Wednesday: “The earthquake epicenter was 17 km (11 miles) NNE of Pāhala in the vicinity of the Kaʻōiki Pali with a depth of approximately 26 km (16 miles) below sea level.

“Moderate shaking, with maximum Intensity of V on the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale” was reported across the island.

“At that intensity, damage to buildings or structures is not expected” and the volcano alert level for Mauna Loa “will remain at ADVISORY,” the HVO said.

HVO scientist Ken Hon commented: “We do not currently observe any changes in activity at Kīlauea or Mauna Loa as a result of this earthquake. Please be aware that aftershocks are possible and may be felt. HVO continues to monitor Kīlauea and other Hawaiian volcanoes for any changes.”