Big Island Schools Set to Reopen Monday After Kona Low Storm Damage

Most Hawaii Island schools are scheduled to reopen Monday as the Hawaii Department of Education continues evaluating campus damage from the Kona Low storm, even as Hāna High and Elementary School remains shuttered while crews work to restore power and clear debris.

The DOE's system-wide plan calls for campuses to resume operations while assessments continue in parallel, though Hāna High and Elementary stands as a specific exception, with no confirmed reopening date while power restoration and debris clearance remain ongoing.

The storm left its mark well beyond school campuses. One resident, who asked not to be identified, described the moment a tree came down on their home during the storm's peak: "Of course we're sitting in the dark, and a few minutes later this huge bang, all the little kitties levitated, and everybody's scurrying around trying to figure out what it was and I thought it was, something got hit by lightning or something, and then the neighbor came over and said, the tree fell on the house, and it did."

Mayor Alameda is coordinating a countywide recovery push, with essential county services also returning Monday. His immediate guidance for residents dealing with storm debris is direct: place it at the curb. "I know there's questions about debris, and so what we're doing is we're creating a plan for the debris removal," Alameda said. "Right now, if you don't have a place to take it, take it to the curbside. And, tomorrow we'll get our crews to go out and collect it and take it to our greenway station."

Residents who can transport green waste themselves have two facilities available: the East Hawaii Organics Facility in Hilo and the West Hawaii Organics Facility at Puʻuanahulu, along with county transfer stations. All solid waste facilities return to normal operations Monday, as do bus services across the island. Park facilities will follow once damage assessments are completed. All storm shelters opened across Hawaii Island were closed at 4 p.m. Sunday.

Alameda credited the coordinated response across government and community partners while cautioning that the recovery is not finished. "While peak storm impacts have passed, we are not out of the woods yet, so please continue to exercise caution," he said. "I want to give a special mahalo to our first responders and road crews who are working hard to keep our residents safe. Throughout this storm, our community has stepped up in a big way, and the support from our State, National Guard, and nonprofit partners has been critical to protecting life and property."

The Kona Low generated First Alert Weather Day coverage across Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, March 13 through 15, before conditions eased enough to allow Monday's planned return to operations.