Famed beach closed after 1900 litres of sewage floods area

Heavy rains from Tropical Depression Kilo contributed to a massive sewage spill near the intersection of Ala Moana Boulevard and Atkinson Drive on Monday.

City officials are advising people to stay away from a four mile (6km) stretch of waterfront extending from Waikiki to nearby Kakaako.

“What you have behind me is a major sewage backup”, said Lori Kahikina, director of the city’s Department of Environmental Services told reporters according to NBC affiliate, KHNL. A statewide Brown Water Advisory was issued, asking the public to stay out of flood and storm waters, due to possible “overflowing cesspools, sewer, manholes, pesticides, animal fecal matter, dead animals, pathogens, chemicals and associated flood debris”. She expects it to be several days before the ocean is clean enough to go swimming again. “Don’t take the risk”.

“We don’t know right now what is in the water”. That spill occurred after a sewage line ruptured following weeks of heavy rains, forcing the city to divert wastewater into the canal.

“You could get a serious infection, get extremely sick or even worse”.

Sewage poured from manholes as storm water linked to Tropical Storm Kilo overwhelmed drains, state health officials said.

Some people have been seen opening up manholes in Waikiki in an effort to curb the flooding.

The spill shut down Waikiki Beach from Kuhio Beach to Point Panic.

As of 5 p.m. Monday, raw sewage continued to flow into Kawa Stream in Kaneohe. Officials were expected to test water samples over the next few days, Hawaii News Now reported.

Desiree Smith would’ve loved to dip into the water off Honolulu’s famous white-sand Waikiki beaches.

A number of roads were closed Monday because of flooding and pooling on the highways, slowing the morning commute as the University of Hawaii began its fall semester.