WAILEA-MAKENA, Hawaii (KHON2) — In Maui county, all three islands have seen torrential downpours since Sunday, especially upcountry Maui where it floods into South Maui and Kihei.
Maui Mayor Mike Victorino signed a disaster declaration due to the effects of the weather.
Maui county certainly needed the rain but not this much rain all at once.
The National Weather Service says Maui county saw over 20 inches of rain in the past 48 hours.
South Maui certainly saw the most damage in terms of flooding here in Maui Meadows which is above Wailea and South Maui. A entire yard turned into a raging river. Residents say it’s the worst flooding they’ve seen in years.
Heavy rains slammed Maui county all night.
“Around 10 o’clock it started raining heavy,” said Kihei resident Kevin Olson. “At 11 o’clock it really started storming, and torrential around 11:30 the hardest I’ve ever seen it.”
“The remainder of the night it was like being on an airplane just that constant wind sound, said Ron Pearlman, Sugar Beach Resort guest.
Cars had to be towed out of apartment complexes in South Kihei and portions of South Kihei Road remain closed
“We had about four to five feet of water running through this parking lot,” said Olson. “The shed that used to be here is down there. The dumpsters that used to be here. nes up the street. Ones down by the ocean. Cars were floating around just like ping pong kind of thing.”
Community members came together to clean up the mess.
“The other parts of the island, West Maui, East Maui and as well as upcountry sustained some damage but nothing major from what I have been told up until this point but assessments are still being done,” said Maui Mayor Mike Victorino.
Mayor Victorino confirmed seven people stayed in shelters in South Maui as flooding continues through the early morning hours.
“South Kihei Road. The road the water run off has eroded into underneath of the road. So kind of like how the water goes over, and then sand starts to break off. So now the road has some a gap between the roadway and the beach itself So we’re looking an assessing that right now.”
Portions of South Kihei road are expected to remain closed Tuesday.
“If you don’t need to be out here stay home,” said Maui Police Department Lt. William Hankins. “There’s no reason to be out here. You’re just going to get muddy.”
Mayor Victorino said anybody that has to report any damages make sure they take a lot of photos so they can send that in for FEMA.
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The worst is over for now for Maui.
