• High surf unveils problems High surf unveils problems The unusually high surf along the Eastside of Kaua’i over the weekend is bringing up more than large surfing waves. On Friday afternoon a traffic jam occurred when one lane of
• High surf unveils problems
High surf unveils problems
The unusually high surf along the Eastside of Kaua’i over the weekend is bringing up more than large surfing waves.
On Friday afternoon a traffic jam occurred when one lane of Kuhio Highway at Wailua in the Coco Palms Resort area was closed due to waves coming onto the highway. Imagine a similar situation, but with a tsunami on the way and residents along the coastal area of Wailua, Waipouli and Kapa’a attempting to flee to high ground.
This situation clearly calls for the need of a mauka road in the Wailua area, not just to alleviate traffic but to make sure a potential major tragedy never occurs in this area. Maps of tsunami run-up during the 1946 and the 1957 tsunamis that struck Kaua’i show there is a danger of large tidal surges pushing across the highway in low-lying areas of Wailua.
Long-standing rock sea wall problems are also being highlighted by the large surf hitting the Eastside. In the Aliomanu area flooding of beachfront homes is reminiscent of the wave damage usually found on the North Shore of Kaua’i and the North Shore of O’ahu when extra-high winter swells roll in once or twice a decade. While the sea wall at Nawiliwili held with no problem, even though the road along the sea wall was broken up in places and is littered with bits of coral and other debris, smaller rock walls elsewhere are facing problems due to the unusual direction and size of this swell.
Kaua’i’s vulnerability to sea shipping problems is another facet of this period of high seas and strong north winds. The Young Brothers barge due in Friday at Nawiliwili – along with barges destined for other Neighbor Island ports – had to be turned around by its towing tug and brought back to Honolulu for safety reasons. Apparently cruise ship operations are also be affected. This virtual closing of the port will hold up plans of both Kaua’i residents and Kaua’i businesses as anticipated supplies, vehicles and other items remain in Honolulu. While these unusual conditions are sure to blow over in a few days, we need to be more aware of the necessity of keeping open shipping lanes, and the foresight to deal with labor contracts and other non-weather problems well in advance of their becoming crisis situations at our ports.
Once the waves die down, these above considerations need to reassessed by those overseeing our highways, those who permit sea walls and by our shipping companies.
Local residents and businesses in low-lying areas would be wise, too, to create a tsunami action plan that can be acted upon quickly. Though the last tsunami to hit Kaua’i is now pretty much considered an historic event, it is only a matter of time until another one hits our shores. We were made aware of that just weeks ago when an earthquake off the coast of Japan had the potential to drive a deadly tsunami eastward towards Kaua’i. An evacuation plan is needed. Fortunately tsunami detectors located between Alaska and Hawai’i and Asia and Hawai’i should give hours of advance warning. However, a traffic jam snarled by panicking drivers could cut into this valuable evacuation time, and being prepared, both at home and at work, could make a big difference when this emergency situation arises.
