June 11, 2014 - Volume 30, Issue 24
The
Molokai Dispatch T h e i s l a n d ’s n e w s s o u r c e s i n c e 1985
Island’s First (Temporary) Stoplight
Photo ccourtesy of Lee Mott
quakes shake up molok ai Hawaii Seismic Hazard Map color codes regions by their probability for earthquake activity, with red being high hazard, yellow being moderate and blue indicating low likelihood, based on a variety of data.
6/7: 2.8 magnitude, 11 km WNW of Kualapu`u at 6:15 a.m.
6/6: 4.1 magnitude, 13 km WSW of Kualapu`u at 4:42 p.m.
By Catherine Cluett | Editor-In-Chief
M
olokai’s first stoplight installed at the Kawela Stream Bridge construction site was only directing traffic for two weeks. As of Friday before going to press, Goodfellow Bros. Project Engineer Clayton Morrell said the traffic light is scheduled to be removed on Monday. “It was only there so we could pave the west-bound lane and shoulder,” said Morrell. “[During that time] we had to shift to one-lane traffic.” Contractor Goodfellow Bros. is putting the final touches on the state Department of Transportation (DOT) bridge project before scheduled completion at the end of July. The next big change drivers will notice is a shift in traffic from the curved, detour route to traveling over the new bridge, said Morrell. In the next three to four weeks, workers will finished the concrete lining of the stream bed under the structure and slowly remove the detour bridge. Finally, the last of the paving will be completed in mid-July, he said. Morrell asked drivers to remember that even with the stop light removed, there still may be some delays and periods during which workers will need to control traffic flow. And, as long as construction is underway, the speed limit in the area remains at 25 miles per hour. Reactions to the temporary traffic light ranged from interest -- photos of the novelty on Facebook and Instagram abounded -- to annoyance that the island, known for no stop lights, would finally break tradition, even if temporarily. Construction on the new bridge began in 2012 and was scheduled for completion in January of this year. However, lapses in state permits caused months of delays. The new bridge will be almost 20 feet wider than the former bridge, allowing for a 10-foot wide shoulder on each side of the highway, according to DOT officials. The height of the new bridge will be higher above water level to accommodate frequent flooding of the Kawela Stream, and the streambed under it will be lined with concrete to protect the banks from erosion and facilitate maintenance. The $6.1 million bridge project is 80 percent federal and 20 percent state-funded, according to Caroline Sluyter, DOT public information officer.
Map courtesy of USGS. By Catherine Cluett | Editor-In-Chief
M
olokai residents experienced a shake-down last Friday, when a 4.1 magnitude earthquake originating about eight miles west-southwest of Kualapu`u was felt around the island at 4:42 p.m. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Earthquake Hazards Program rates the perceived shaking of earthquakes on a “ShakeMap” system, and on a scale of 1 to 10, this earthquake was listed as a six, or “strong.” “The ceiling track lights broke and fell on me and the kids,” Molokai Dispatch Facebook fan Nichol Helm Kahale of Kualapu`u wrote on the page. Around the island, residents shared their reactions, noting the quake’s intensity. Renee Beihl of Kawela wrote, “[It] rattled my windows and my little computer desk wobbled for four to five seconds,” while Ilima Davis in Kalae reported that her house shook. Even residents of West Maui and parts of Oahu shared the shakes.
No threat of a tsunami resulted from the tremor, according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, nor were any major damages reported. Originally reported by the USGS at a magnitude of 3.8 off the north shore of Molokai, the quake was one of five with magnitudes greater than four in the last 25 years north of Molokai, Hawaii News Now reported. According to the USGS, the quakes are likely resulting from the Earth’s crust and mantle adjusting to the weight of the islands on top of it. A smaller tremor of 2.8 magnitude originating about 7 miles west northwest of Kualapu`u was also felt by some the following morning at 6:15 a.m. Historically and geologically, the largest and most frequent earthquakes in the state occur on Hawaii Island near active volcanoes. Since 1868, approximately 29 quakes of magnitude six or greater have occurred on Hawaii Island, while seven such magnitude events have occurred northwest of Hawaii from the Maui area to Molokai,
Molokai Trains for Hurricane Preparedness
according to a 1998 USGS study. The largest earthquake recorded in Hawaii was in 1868 with a magnitude of 7.9 in the Ka`u District of Hawaii Island. It caused 77 deaths -- 46 from a resulting tsunami and 31 from landslides, according to the USGS. While most historically significant earthquakes have been in Hawaii Island, one near Lanai in 1871, magnitude 6.8, caused severe damage on Lanai, Molokai and Maui. “On Molokai, in the Pukoo area, the earth opened for a distance of several meters; stone houses in the area cracked in every direction. A 1.5-meter-deep hole opened in the ground at Pukoo,” according to USGS records, also noting significant damage at Kalauaaha. Hundreds of small earthquakes are reported in Hawaii every year. In the last seven days alone, for example, the USGS has recorded 53 earthquakes in the state, ranging from 0.4 to 4.1 magnitude, with all except three on Hawaii Island.
This Week’s
Dispatch
By Bianca Moragne | Staff Writer
I
magine this: A destructive hurricane is spotted in the Central Pacific Ocean south of Molokai with wind speeds of more than 100 miles per hour. Once it hits land, the hurricane delivers a storm surge of destructive winds that leave many residents without electricity, shelter, food or water -- and wipes out the island’s communication systems. On Molokai last week, participants in statewide hurricane preparedness exercises run by the Hawaii State Civil Defense (HSCD), engaged in communication systems training and practiced emergency procedures in case this scenario becomes reality. The annual HSCD training, called Makani Pahili, consists of drill tests that improve disaster readiness for first responders on each island. Although Makani help of the California Air National Guard. Pahili has been conducted by HSCD since “It’s a positive thing that needs to be it began in 2007, this is the second year that Disaster Prep Continued pg. 4 the training has come to Molokai, with the
Blast from the Past
Pg. 2
A Pathway to Healing
Pg. 2
Why I Fly with Makani Kai. Taylor is a busy woman, a Kamehameha grad preparing for a nursing career. She’d rather not waste time in airport traffic or standing in line. That’s why she flies with Makani Kai. “It’s faster and easier to get to. You don’t have to hassle with finding a place to park or bother with the TSA, so it’s less stressful. It’s also a lot more comfortable.”
$50, every seat, every flight, every day. Make Reservation at MakaniKaiAir.com and save Makani Kai Air | (808) 834-1111
The
Molokai Dispatch
P.O. Box 482219 Kaunakakai, HI 96748
Taylor Wright Molokai born & raised