Sept. 12, 11:40 a.m., County of Kauaʻi, Hurricane Lowell Recovery
Published on September 12, 2026
LĪHUʻE – As Hurricane Lowell recovery work continues across the island, police are urging residents and visitors to avoid driving unless travel is necessary.
The Kauaʻi Bus is running a reduced schedule, and food is available at four locations.
The County has completed about 301 damage assessments so far. Fifty-seven homes have major damage and at least seven were destroyed.
For recovery help, resources, and updates, visit www.kauairecovers.org.
Today at a glance
- Drive only if you need to. Extra traffic is slowing repair crews.
- Buses run hourly and rides are free. No service is available on Sunday.
- Food is available at four locations, starting at 7 a.m.
- The Līhuʻe refuge area moves to the Līhuʻe Neighborhood Center at 10 a.m.
- Power is restored for 75% of the island.
- Water systems are 100% restored but an island-wide water conservation notice remains in effect.
Driving (NEW UPDATE)
Police are urging the public to travel only if necessary. Officers are escorting work crews, and extra traffic is slowing debris removal, power restoration, and road repairs.
- Skip non-essential travel. This includes general sightseeing and driving to view storm damage.
- Pull to the right and stop when an emergency vehicle approaches.
- Never follow a police escort or use one to get into a closed area.
- Obey closures, barricades, and directions from officers and flaggers.
- Treat every dark traffic light as a four-way stop. Lights are out islandwide.
- Report hazards like downed lines or blocked roads. Do not stop to take photos.
The Kauaʻi Bus (NEW UPDATE)
Buses run hourly today except the Wailua routes, which keep their normal times. Rides are free until further notice. Buses stop at food distribution sites and refuge areas. Expect delays.
- Route 100, Kekaha to Līhuʻe: 8:15 a.m. to 6:15 p.m.
- Route 200, Līhuʻe to Kekaha: 6:25 a.m. to 4:25 p.m.
- Route 400, Hanalei to Līhuʻe: 8:15 a.m. to 6:15 p.m.
- Route 500, Līhuʻe to Hanalei: 6:25 a.m. to 4:25 p.m.
- Route 30 Kōloa Shuttle: 6:05 a.m. to 6:15 p.m.
- Route 60 Kapahi Shuttle: 6:23 a.m. to 7:23 p.m.
- Route 70 Kōloa Shuttle: 5:55 a.m. to 6:55 p.m.
- Routes 800 and 850 to Wailua: normal schedule
There is no bus service Sunday, Sept. 13. Regular bus and paratransit service resumes Monday, Sept. 14. The 900 and 950 Anahola-Waimea express routes will not run the week of Sept. 13. Questions: 808-246-8110 or www.kauai.gov/transportation.
Food distribution (NEW UPDATE)
Food is available today at these locations:
Refuge areas (NEW UPDATE)
Open now:
At 10 a.m. the Līhuʻe refuge area moved from the Kauaʻi High School gym, 3577 Lala Road, to the Līhuʻe Neighborhood Center, 3353 ʻEono Street, to allow the school to reopen.
The refuge areas at Waimea Canyon Middle School and Kapaʻa Middle School closed Friday evening due to no evacuees seeking shelter at those locations.
As of 7 a.m. Sept. 12, 59 people and 3 pets were utilizing County refuge areas.
Trash and recycling
Hanapēpē transfer stations and Kekaha Landfill are open for trash and green waste.
The Kapa‘a and Līhuʻe Transfer Stations are accepting trash only. Green waste dropoff is expected to resume tomorrow for the Līhu‘e Transfer Station.
The Hanalei Refuse Transfer Station has reopened to accept mixed waste only; no green waste, metals, or appliances can be accepted at this time.
A temporary green waste site off of Kapaʻa Bypass Road is slated to open this afternoon.
Refuse collection crews will pick up trash Saturday at limited capacity in Lāwaʻi, Kalāheo, and ʻŌmaʻo.
Regular islandwide refuse collection pickup for Monday customers should resume Monday, Sept. 14 to accessible areas.
HI-5 redemption in Līhuʻe restarts today. Other locations stay closed until equipment is repaired.
County closures
- Līhuʻe Civic Center is closed until further notice after a fire at the Kāpule Building. That includes Real Property, Planning, building and zoning, Wastewater, sewer billing, and the DMV, including driver’s licenses and vehicle registration.
- All County parks, campgrounds, and the Wailua Golf Course are closed.
- The Waimea and Kapaʻa pools are closed.
- County board and commission meetings are suspended. The Sept. 16 County Council meeting is canceled.
State and federal closures
Highways: the state reports no state highway is closed in a way that keeps people from reaching their homes.
- Kūhiō Highway, routes 56 and 560, are open through Hāʻena. Crews will resume debris clearing under the mauka Wailua River Bridge Sept. 20. The Wainiha double bridges are open to local traffic only, with a 5-ton weight limit.
- The Kūhiō Highway southbound morning contraflow through the Wailua corridor resumed normal hours today. Normal contraflow hours are Monday through Friday 4:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. and Saturday 6:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
- All of Kuamoʻo Road is clear.
- Kōkeʻe and Waimea Canyon roads are still being cleared.
- Ahukini Road is now fully open.
- Halewili Road is open from the ʻEleʻele side of Kaumualiʻi Highway but remains closed from the Kalāheo side of the highway to Kauaʻi Coffee due to downed utility poles
- Monday, Sept. 14: one lane closed on Kaumualiʻi Highway between Kipu Road and Kaumakani, 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Airport and harbors:
- Līhuʻe Airport is open and back on regular power. Arrive 90 minutes early for interisland flights and two hours early for flights to the continent.
- Nāwiliwili Harbor is open to cargo ships. No cruise ships are coming in.
- Port Allen remains closed to commercial traffic.
Other closures and advisories:
- State parks and forest reserves are closed.
- The Pacific Missile Range Facility has closed its recreation sites and guest pass program.
- A brown water advisory remains in effect islandwide. Stay out of floodwater and out of the ocean near stream mouths, drains, and harbors. The water may carry sewage, animal waste, chemicals, and debris.
More closures are possible as crews continue clearing roads.
Power
About 75% of the island had power restored as of Saturday afternoon. Roughly 9,000 members are still out. Peak outages impacted about 33,000 customers. KIUC has 13 of 15 transmission lines back up. Hawaiian Electric and Southern California Edison continues to support restoration efforts; HECO plans to deploy more crews to assist on the North Shore.
Stay away from downed utility lines and call 911 if a line is an immediate danger. Update your contact information with KIUC at 808-246-4300 to get alerts. Outage map: kiuc.outagemap.coop
Water
The Department of Water has fully restored 100% of its systems but reminds the public that an island-wide water conservation notice remains in effect. This conservation notice is due to DOW remote sites still relying on generator power.
A boil water notice has been canceled for Wainiha-Hāʻena, but a boil water notice remains in effect for Kīlauea.
Please only use water for essential needs.
- Outages can affect pumps and wells, so water may cut out or lose pressure even if your home is fine.
- Do not use water if you believe it has been contaminated by flooding.
- Report outages, low pressure, or broken mains at 808-245-5400. Updates are posted at kauaiwater.org.
Next storm (NEW UPDATE)
State officials are monitoring Hurricane Norbert, which could pass the islands late next week. Currently, it is too early to predict the storm’s track, but in anticipation of possible impacts, now is the time to restock your emergency supplies. For preparedness information, visit ready.hawaii.gov.
Visitors
Hawaiʻi is still welcoming visitors but is also urging anyone with upcoming trips to the islands to monitor conditions. The state is also encouraging travelers with upcoming trips to Kauaʻi to consider visiting another island to allow Kauaʻi time to heal and recover from Hurricane Lowell.
Numbers and resources
Use 911 only for life-threatening emergencies. Calls about weather or road conditions tie up the line and delay help for others. For non-emergencies, call KPD Dispatch at 808-755-8516 or 808-652-7837. KPD’s usual non-emergency line, 808-241-1711, is still down.
To sign up for Everbridge, the County’s emergency notification service, please visit www.kauai.gov/KEMA and click on “Notification Services.” You may also text “KAUAIEMA” to 888777, or call the Kauaʻi Emergency Management Agency’s alternate numbers at 808-726-0702 or 808-347-9833. The KEMA non-emergency line, 808-241-1800, remains unavailable due to ongoing outages.
For recovery help, resources, and updates, visit www.kauairecovers.org.
Report your damage
Take photos, write down what was damaged, and file a report at bit.ly/kauaidamage. These reports show how much of the island was hit and may help Kauaʻi qualify for state and federal aid. The state has asked for a fast-tracked presidential disaster declaration. You still need to file a claim with your insurance company.
Report roadway and public space hazards at bit.ly/kauaihazard. Businesses can report damage at bit.ly/lowelldamage.
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