PHOTOS: Flood in Kihei, Maui, Hawaii
By Russell Snyder, Kihei, HI
View the aftermath of last night’s flooding in and around Kalama Park and north Kihei, HI
Last night was quite the adventure. Torrential downpours led to flooding in my ground-floor Kihei apartment, and then the power went out from late evening to early Monday morning. We heard of a car that floated from Menehune Shores condos out into the ocean. Some friends went looking for it but were unable to locate it.
Huge mahalo to my neighbors Kyle, Angelina, and Dawn for the extra towels. You saved the day and prevented the nightmare scenario of the water making its way into our jam-packed storage closet.
Seriously, huge mahalo to the first responders who were out there dealing with this all night and to Hawaiian Electric Company for getting the lights back on.
Incidentally, it is my birthday today, 36 years young. After finishing the cleanup this morning and washing endless loads of towels, I decided to go for a bike ride through Kihei to Kalama Park to survey the damage and snap some photos.
This was around 9am, long after the floodwaters had peaked. At times, I was stand-up biking through floodwater over the pedals.
You’ll see that the area around the Barmuda Triangle flooded as usual. I recommend nobody get in the ocean for 2-3 days, as it is the gnarliest and nastiest shade of brown I’ve ever seen.
If you like these photos, there are some much wilder pics and videos on social media.
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About the Author:
Russell Snyder, the creator of the Maui Happy Hours app, is a writer, ocean enthusiast, and full-time Maui resident who enjoys sampling the island’s best happy hours and sharing his findings with the masses. When not writing about Maui bars and restaurants, you can find him surfing, walking the dogs, or lounging on the beach. Follow Russell on Instagram @russellscottsnyder or contact him via email at russell@bigbeach.co.
Staying at Kihei Beach Resort-36 S. Kihei Rd., beginning 2/1. Do you think the water is safe for swimming yet in that part of the beach? I heard “no”…
Happy belated birthday!
Aloha Karen! Thanks for the birthday wishes. Yeah I think it’s safe to swim there right now with caution of course. The water has gotten way clearer since we had the heavy rains. The ocean was pretty nasty looking at that time but nothing like that now. It does get really windy in the afternoon in north Kihei where you are so morning is the best time for that beach. Unfortunately that little ABC store there is still closed from the flooding. Have fun on your trip and mahalo for checking out the post!
Russell Snyder, Maui Happy Hours
Wow. Thanks for posting these. Best documenting I’ve seen so far. (🇨🇦)
Please tell me where the “Bermuda Triangle” that you speak of is. I’ve not heard this before.
Good luck getting back to normal. It’s a horrible mess.
Thanks, Linda! The Bar-muda Triangle refers to the grouping of bars and restaurants in Kihei across from the whale statue. This is the nightlife area of Kihei as these places are open late when COVID restrictions allow it. They turn into more like small dance clubs on late nights. I don’t know who coined the term but the Barmuda part refers to the fact that you can literally get lost in there and never come out if you’re not careful, much like the real Bermuda Triangle lol. The bars in there are Kahale’s, Life’s A Beach, What Ales You, Vibe, Dog and Duck, Ohana, Three’s, South Shore Tiki Lounge, and Lava Rock.
Great photos, I have many of the same from my visit there this morning, just haven’t had time to go through them all. I’ll try to upload videos onto my Vimeo account, and share the links when ready. Good work, cool blog!
Thanks Keith! Definitely come back and share the vid links when you post.