Maui braces for Hurricane Nolo as officials urge residents to prepare

KĪHEI, Maui(HawaiiNewsNow) – Maui residents and businesses are preparing for possible impacts from Hurricane Nolo as officials urge the public to prepare now.

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The National Weather Service issued a tropical storm watch for Maui Thursday.

Along South Kīhei Road, trees swayed as winds began to pick up under heavy cloud cover.

Flooding has been an ongoing issue along South Kīhei Road, which recently reopened after parts of the thoroughfare were washed away during past Kona low storms.

David Yamashiro, co-founder and CEO of Ululani’s Hawaiian Shave Ice, said he is especially worried about a bridge by his businesses near the intersection of South Kīhei and North Kīhei Roads.

He said it isn’t high enough for runoff to flow underneath it into the ocean and he said often times, it will overflow and flood the road and nearby properties.

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“We’ve been flooded out four times over the last five years and impacted five times out of the last five years,” Yamashiro said. “I believe that the impact of this storm could be way worse than any of the other ones that we’ve had.”

Maui Mayor Richard Bissen emphasized the urgency for residents to get ready.

“The time to prepare is now, not wait until the rains come,” Bissen said. “We mostly want people to stay home.”

County officials said crews worked along South Kīhei Road on Thursday, especially near the Kīhei Canoe Club, in preparation for the storm.

“We have high water vehicles already staged in East Maui, thank you to the National Guard. We have, I think, two out in East Maui. We have three that are still at the armory off of Veterans Highway so that they can get to wherever they need to go, including South Maui, Upcountry, and other parts of Maui.”

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The County plans to open several shelters at noon Friday.