KAILUA, Hawaii (Island News) — Residents along the Windward side of Oahu are beginning the difficult process of assessing damage and cleaning up after a powerful storm brought heavy rain and flooding to the area.
In Kailua, homes near Kailua Beach Park were left dealing with more than just stormwater. Residents said rising floodwaters overwhelmed nearby systems and sewage began backing up into homes — turning an already dangerous situation into a health hazard.
The storm dumped significant rainfall across Windward communities and left roads flooded, drainage systems overwhelmed and low-lying neighborhoods underwater in some areas. Residents near the beach park said water quickly surrounded their homes as conditions worsened.
Residents along the Windward side of Oahu are beginning the difficult process of cleaning up after a powerful storm brought heavy rain and flooding to the area. In Kailua, homes near Kailua Beach Park were hit hard as rising floodwaters overwhelmed drainage systems and sewage backed up into homes.
Neighbors said flooding is not uncommon in the area during heavy rain, but this storm quickly escalated beyond anything they had seen before.
“It always floods here. But yesterday, it was not like anything I’ve ever seen,” said upstairs resident Eliza Talbot.
As the rain continued, residents said the water kept rising well into the evening hours. Some homes began taking on contaminated water as sewage backed up through plumbing and drainage systems.
“We watched as the water kept rising and rising and rising, and by the time nighttime fell, it was insane, and all of this was going on and it was clear that this was sewage coming in. And this poor woman here lives here, like losing everything,” said upstairs resident Victoria Talbot.
Residents said sewage began bubbling up through fixtures inside the home, filling rooms with contaminated water.
“Basically, the sewage from the park is coming up from the grounds and from the toilets and the tubs,” Eliza said.
The situation left residents scrambling to protect what they could while waiting for help. But with storm impacts reported across the island, emergency crews have been stretched thin responding to flooding, road closures and other hazards.
“Thing now is to find somebody with pumps and somebody who can do cleanup of environmental stuff. We’re gonna have to come in and do all that. I don’t know what’s gonna happen,” Victoria said.
Some residents said they called city crews and first responders for assistance but understand officials are prioritizing life-threatening emergencies across the island.
“We’ve called for help with the fire department and the city a bunch, and they’re just so overwhelmed. Totally understand they have more urgent things, but it’s just at some point we’re going to need help pumping all this water and dealing with the sewer issue. It was just a double whammy, because it was raining so hard, and then also the sewage coming up, and it’s just gross,” Eliza said.
For many in the neighborhood, cleanup cannot even begin until the standing water is pumped out and the sewage contamination is addressed. Residents say they expect the recovery process to take days — or possibly longer — once conditions allow crews to safely begin the work.
