Flood watches have been lifted in Hawaii and residents are beginning the cleanup process and damage assessment. Power is still out for more than 9,000 customers on the Big Island, and crews from Oahu and Maui are traveling to the island to lend a hand.
Across the Big Island there was significant flooding in some areas and many power lines were knocked down by falling trees. The recovery is more difficult because many of the outages are in remote areas that are almost inaccessible to vehicles. There were minimal outages on Oahu and Maui, and power has been restored to residents on those islands.
Airports and the ports have reopened, as have some parks. The Hawaii Department of Health has issued a brown water advisory due to Iselle. Even though the actual runoff from the storm may not be brown in color, the public is advised to stay away from the floodwaters because they may contain pesticides, dead animals, runoff from cesspools, animal fecal matter and other contaminants. The turbid water runoff can also attract sharks because of the dead animals, so swimmers should be extra cautious and stay out of any brown coastal waters.
The Department of Agriculture recommends discarding any food impacted by flood waters, especially anything not in a waterproof container. All cooking utensils, pots and pans should be thoroughly washed in hot water and sanitized if they came in contact with floodwater. Countertops should be cleaned with soap and water then sanitized with a bleach solution.
Individuals helping with the cleanup efforts should make sure to stay hydrated, wash their hands well before eating or drinking, and wear heavy shoes or work boots (not tennis shoes), and work gloves.
Images of Iselle
Following are some images from before, during and after Tropical Storm Iselle, courtesy of Drew Chamberlain with BELFOR Property Restoration in Hawaii.
Preparations for the storm began several days in advance when Iselle was a Category 2 hurricane.
Hilo prepares
This retailer in Hilo on the Big Island boarded up all of the windows in preparation for the hurricane.
Kona prepares
On the other side of the Big Island, another large retailer in Kona sports at similar boardup look as residents rushed to gather some last-minute supplies.
Downed trees
Scenes like this were familiar across Hawaii, Maui and Oahu, as downed trees knocked out electicity and blocked roads. The saturated ground was unable to sustain many large trees.
Hamakua mudslide
Just north of Hilo on the northeastern side of Hawaii, Hamakua is a lush area with rainforests, beautiful waterfalls and plantations that grow hearts of palm, vegetables and tropical fruit. This area gets approximately 84 inches of rain a year. Here, a mudslide spills into the roadway.
Hilo tree damage
Like many homes on the Big Island, this home in Hilo sustained damage when a tree crashed through the roof during the storm. The single-wall construction of many homes in the area made them more vulnerable to the damage from Iselle.
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