Page 6 - aruba-today-20180428

A6 U.S. NEWS
Saturday 28 april 2018

Kauai woos travelers as island recovers from floods

By AUDREY McAVOY British Columbia said his
Associated Press family was a little worried
HONOLULU (AP) — Resi- when they saw how much
dents and businesses are still water was on the ground
cleaning up from flooding when they arrived a day
that deluged parts of Kau- after the storm.
ai, but community leaders But they found places to
are urging tourists to keep surf, hike and swim.
coming so residents don’t Snarksi said Kauai was
suffer an economic calam- “business as usual” when
ity on top of record-break- he left Wednesday.
ing rains that smothered a “The weather was perfect
normally green landscape and we had a fabulous last
in reddish-brown water. day on the island,” Snarksi
Some travelers are cancel- said in an email while flying
ling their reservations after home.
getting the wrong impres- The National Weather Ser-
sion the mid-April flood- vice said preliminary data
ing damaged the entire indicates Kauai broke a na-
Hawaiian island. Although tional rainfall record after a
landslides blocked roads gauge one mile west of Ha-
and floods tore apart nalei recorded 49.69 inches
homes and uprooted trees, (126.21 centimeters) during
most of the island is un- the 24-hour period ending
scathed. at 12:45 p.m. on April 15. If
Nearly 50 inches (127 cen- certified, that would break
timeters) of rain fell in one the current record of 43
24-hour period. inches (109 centimeters)
Some tourists are avoid- recorded in Alvin, Texas in
ing the island’s north shore 1979.
where fast-moving waters The island’s north shore
swept away cars, even towns of Haena and Wain-
though many businesses iha will be off-limits until at
have reopened. least next month because
Tourism is the biggest in- landslides cut off Kuhio
dustry on the island there Highway, the only road
and most restaurants and In this Thursday, April 19, 2018, photo provided by the County of Kauai, officials survey damage connecting them to the
shops rely on spending by from a recent storm on the island of Kauai in Hawaii. rest of the island.
visitors to stay afloat, pro- Associated Press Officials hope to open one
viding jobs for thousands “economic disaster” if Kau- narrow road leading to quested the time off work. lane by May 7 but only for
of Kauai residents. Kauai ai were to lose many jobs her home is now busy with She’s been researching emergency vehicles at first.
County Council Chairman to a flood-induced tourism heavy equipment and resi- what to do by reading The blocked highway will
Mel Rapozo, who works as slowdown. dents trying to clean up. guides and checking the prevent access to hiking
a hotel night auditor, said Tourists have been avoid- She hopes visitors will re- Reddit page for Kauai for trails hugging dramatic
some visitors have been ing hard-hit Hanalei, a his- spect the “local traffic the latest news. cliffs along the Napali
talked out of canceling toric small town and the only” sign posted on her One activity she’s looking Coast and popular beach
their trips but that others commercial center of the street but wants them in the forward to: taking a shel- parks at Haena.
cancel them online without island’s north shore even center of town because ter dog from the Kauai Visitors can still gaze across
speaking to anyone. though many restaurants people whose homes were Humane Society on a field Hanalei valley for a post-
“My concern is the eco- and shops on the town’s damaged “definitely need trip, perhaps on a dog- card-picture view of taro
nomic impact should those pedestrian-friendly main their jobs at this time.” friendly hike. patches fronting verdant
businesses start closing up street are operating or re- The flood reports didn’t de- The human society has al- mountains.
— even temporarily — be- opening. ter Christina Zhu of Seattle, lowed visitors to take a dog And there was no dam-
cause they do employ a Rapozo said visitors should who hopes to snorkel and on such excursions since age to favored sites else-
significant amount of our stick to the highway and hike when she and her boy- 2012. “Flood or not, I’m where, like the white sands
residents,” Rapozo said. avoid side roads, where friend visit Kauai early next sure there will be plenty of of Poipu Beach, spots over-
“A lot of people will lose tourists are likely to get in month. things to do on the island, looking Wailea’s waterfalls
their jobs. And that’s going the way of repair crews. Rescheduling isn’t an op- and hopefully as a tourist and Waimea Canyon — a
to cause another situation Mina Morita, the president tion because their tickets I will be able to help out deep gorge dubbed the
here for Kauai.” of the Hanalei Community aren’t refundable. somehow as well,” she said. “Grand Canyon of the
He said it would be an Center, said the damaged Plus, they’ve already re- Jan Snarski of Vancouver, Pacific.”q