Hawaii Island braces for another storm as recovery from Kona low continues
Hawaii Island continues to recover from last weekend's Kona low storm, with ongoing power outages and roadblocks in several areas. While some sections of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park have reopened, others remain closed due to storm damage.
A new storm system is now approaching, bringing another flood watch from Wednesday evening through Sunday evening. The Kona low storm that struck over the weekend left around 2,000 customers without electricity. Hawaiian Electric crews have been working to restore power, but areas like Kapoho, Mountain View, and parts of North and South Kona still faced outages as of Wednesday. Fallen trees and debris have slowed repairs, with tree-trimming teams active in Puna since Sunday to clear blocked roads.
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park partially reopened on Wednesday, allowing access to Crater Rim Drive West, the Welcome Center, Volcano House, and Chain of Craters Road. However, sections such as Crater Rim Drive West beyond Kilauea Military Camp and Hilina Pali Road remained closed. The Kahuku Unit was set to reopen at 8 a.m. on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Hawaii County organised a distribution of ice, water, and food at the Billy Kenoi Sports Complex in Pahoa on Wednesday afternoon. The supplies were aimed at residents in lower Puna still dealing with storm impacts.
Forecasters warned of another Kona low moving east towards the state, with moderate to heavy rainfall expected. The heaviest downpours were forecast for Friday night into Saturday, prompting a flood watch for Hawaii Island until Sunday evening. Repairs and recovery efforts are still underway, though the approaching storm may bring further challenges. Residents in affected areas have been advised to prepare for more rain and potential flooding. The park's partial reopening offers some relief, but many roads and facilities remain closed until damage is fully assessed.
