Over 20 west Kauai families blocked by landslide; historic bridge also damaged

WAIMEA (HawaiiNewsNow) - A landslide on Kauai’s west side blocked the only road in an out for about 24 families along Menehune Road Tuesday.

County officials said the landslide was reported around 7:30 a.m. No injuries were reported.

Photos showed large rocks and boulders came down from a cliff adjacent to the road. The historic Waimea Swinging Bridge was also badly damaged.

By 4:30 p.m. Kauai County said the road remained closed and the American Red Cross would be opening an emergency shelter for affected residents at the Waimea Neighborhood Center.

“We are working diligently to open this roadway and restore utilities to affected residents as soon as possible, but safety is our highest priority,” said Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami. “We have multiple agencies working together at this time. We wish to thank the Department of Public Works crews, Kaua’i Island Utility Cooperative, Kaua’i Department of Water, American Red Cross, and our first responders for assisting in this effort. Additionally, we thank the residents for their patience and cooperation while work continues.”

Both the bridge and the road are closed until further notice as crews work to clear a passable route for motorists and there is no timeline for the work to be done. The landslide happened following a recent bought of heavy rain over the New Year weekend.

Kauai police also said families in the area lost electricity, and crews were working on a fix.