Torrential rains, winds from Hurricane Lowell leaves 30,000 without power

What the report says

Hurricane Lowell lashed Hawaii’s western islands overnight, with Kauai taking the brunt of the storm’s rains and winds, according to Al Jazeera’s report. The article said the weakened Category 1 system did not make landfall on the island, but still caused major damage as it passed west of Kauai early Tuesday.

The storm knocked out electricity for at least 30,000 residents, leaving nearly 92% of customers served by the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative without power at one point. Strong gusts toppled trees, damaged power poles and lines, and tore up stretches of beachside road. Flooding also affected coastal areas, and about 300 people were evacuated as debris and mudslides became concerns.

Local officials urged residents to stay off the roads, shelter in place, and conserve water while crews assessed damage and worked to restore services. Kauai Mayor Derek Kawakami said authorities were seeing extensive damage and shifting from storm preparation to recovery and information gathering.

By Tuesday, the center of Lowell had moved farther north into open water and its winds were weakening, but the National Hurricane Center warned that flooding, mudslides, dangerous surf, and rip currents could continue to affect Hawaii’s exposed coasts. The report also noted that surf from the remnants of the hurricane could reach Southern California for several days.