(BIVN) – Officials say the shelter at the Honokaʻa Sport Complex will close at 7 p.m. this evening, as all roads have been cleared in the Ahualoa and Kukuihaele area, and power has been restored to a majority of customers, following the recent kona low storm.

The County of Hawaiʻi added that the Waipiʻo Valley Road will remain closed to all traffic, except for Waipiʻo Valley residents and farmers.

From the County of Hawaiʻi:

Hawaiʻi County has cleared and opened all roadways known to be affected by the Kona Low weather system that impacted various areas of Hawaiʻi Island earlier this week. Over a dozen roads were at least partially closed due to the weather, and crews worked around the clock to clear and return access to them.

As a result of Hawaiian Electric’s swift action, the shelter at the Honokaʻa Gymnasium will close at 7 pm this evening as residents in the Ahualoa and Kukuihaele area begin to regain power. “The fact that hundreds of folks can be without power for days, and yet no one needed to take advantage of our shelter is a true reflection of this community’s aloha and their willingness to help each other out through thick and thin,” said Maurice Messina, Director of Parks and Recreation.

Additionally, the County of Hawaiʻi has partnered with Aliʻi Ice to deliver pallets of ice for residents experiencing loss of refrigeration. The ice will be available at the Honokaʻa Gymnasium after 3:30 pm and is free for all in need on a first-come, first-serve basis.

“We’re humbled to be able to work alongside such great public servants that have gone above and beyond to restore our roadways and utilities ahead of the Christmas weekend,” said Mayor Mitch Roth. “There are so many families that can sleep easier tonight, knowing that they have access to other homes, power, and other basic needs. It’s one thing to identify an issue and it’s another to act swiftly to meet the needs of that issue — fortunately, thanks to the help of the community, HELCO, Aliʻi Ice, American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, other community partners, and our staff, we’ve been able to do both.”

County officials are continuing to ask those who have had homes or businesses damaged by heavy rain or strong winds from this week’s storm to please report the damage to the Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense online. 

“Residents are reminded that greenwaste debris from their property may be taken to Solid Waste Division’s greenwaste areas,” the County added. “For a list of the sites nearest you visit their website at hawaiizerowaste.org. Note these sites will be closed on Christmas and New Year’s Day.”