A widespread power outage cut electricity across Windward Oahu on Friday afternoon, plunging large stretches from Kaneohe through Kahuku into darkness and turning rush-hour traffic into a crawl. Intersections went quiet as traffic signals shut down, and shoppers at Windward Mall reported stores and common areas suddenly losing power, according to Hawaii News Now.
Crews were dispatched across the island to tackle downed lines and damaged equipment while emergency teams urged residents to steer clear of any fallen wires and brace for delays as restoration work continued. Hawaii News Now reported that crews were working across Oahu and that dozens of outages had left thousands without service during the storm.
The outage started around 1:30 p.m. and knocked out service to more than 14,000 customers across central and east Oahu, affecting Kaaawa, Punaluu, Laie, Hauula, Halawa, Pearl City, Aiea Heights, Kahuku and Kaneohe, and leaving Windward Mall in the dark, according to KITV. Honolulu police told the outlet they were reminding drivers to treat nonworking traffic signals as four-way stops while crews worked to figure out what went wrong…