Kauai residents flee rising floodwaters as Hurricane Lowell batters the island

WAINIHA, Kauaʻi (HawaiiNewsNow) — Fast-rising floodwaters submerged properties and cut off access to roads in Wainiha Monday, forcing some residents to make dangerous escapes to safety.

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Hurricane Lowell was forecast to pass just west of Niʻihau and Kauaʻi late Monday into early Tuesday.

A raging torrent of brown water completely covered driveways and roads on Kauaʻi’s North Shore.

Wainiha resident and community advocate Megan Wong made a harrowing trek out of the area as water rapidly rose on Wainiha Powerhouse Road amid an active power outage.

Wong determined it was too dangerous to remain in her home and drove her truck through the rising waters to reach safety.

Read more High surf from Hurricane Lowell inundates Makaha condominium complex

“Squeeze my okole and just went,” Wong said. She successfully relocated to a home at Tunnels Beach Mākua in Hāʻena.

The flooding has severely impacted multiple regions of the island. In the Kapahi area on Kauaʻi’s east side, heavy runoff transformed local streams into a raging river of dark brown floodwaters. Nearby at Wailua Bay, video captured by resident Kevin Huff showed a massive field of debris washed directly into the ocean, turning the bay into a thick, soupy mix of runoff.

The storm system is also causing severe disruptions on Maui, where major flooding has inundated the road to Hāna. Local officials report that conditions are currently impassable for standard passenger vehicles, with only large trucks able to navigate the deep water.

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Read more First Alert Forecast: Flash Flood Warning for Kauai County