\n<\/p>\n
Tourism officials are asking visitors to steer clear of one of Hawaii\u2019s most picturesque islands as residents and businesses work to recover from the latest tropical storm<\/a> to thrash the state.<\/p>\n Intense wind and surging waves from Hurricane Lowell<\/a> damaged oceanfront resorts, ripped apart roads and knocked out power early this week on Kauai, known for its stunning tropical landscapes, waterfalls and dramatic cliffs.<\/p>\n Thousands of customers, including some resorts, remained without power<\/a> late Thursday, as crews continued clearing streets of downed trees and utility poles. Extensive lines backed up at Kauai\u2019s primary airport Thursday as people tried to depart the island.<\/p>\n \u201cOur hope is that visitors will adjust their travel plans instead of canceling their trip to Hawai\u2018i altogether,\u201d Caroline Anderson, interim president and CEO of Hawai\u2018i Tourism Authority, said in a written statement. \u201cAdjusting your itinerary allows you to continue your Hawai\u02bbi vacation while supporting the state\u2019s broader visitor economy as Kaua\u02bbi recovers.\u201d<\/p>\n Kauai sees only a small fraction of Hawaii\u2019s almost 10 million visitors each year, but tourism is its top economic driver, with people coming from all over to take in its tropical landscapes, waterfalls and dramatic cliffs. Local estimates say tourism accounts for 4 out of every 10 jobs on the island.<\/p>\n The hurricane\u2019s powerful storm surge buckled and washed away roads, knocked down the walls of homes and flooded resorts, sending rapids through a hotel lobby, overturning furniture and scattering debris. It was blamed for two deaths, including a 74-year-old man found Wednesday near Kauai’s south shore and a man found dead Monday on Oahu after a large tree fell on his tent.<\/p>\n Democratic Gov. Josh Green<\/a> asked President Donald Trump<\/a> on Wednesday to issue a major disaster declaration to expedite federal help for Kauai and Maui counties. <\/p>\n At the Ko\u2018a Kea Resort in Poipu, management said it would offer refunds for those who had to cancel rather than reschedule their reservations, but that it expected to resume normal operations within two weeks. The Sheraton Kauai Coconut Beach Resort, which sustained no structural damage, said it had to close beginning Thursday evening but hoped to reopen soon after power is restored.<\/p>\n While images of destruction flooded social media, 68-year-old Chris White, a lifelong resident of Kauai and the owner of a rental home in Poipu, noted that much of the island was spared significant damage. He said he keeps a spare generator and solar water heater at the property in case of power outages, and he urged potential visitors to check with the owners of their properties about whether they should still come.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are countless images on the web of devastation, so I\u2019m not trying to gloss that over,\u201d White said. \u201cI\u2019m just trying to add a little more balance to it. It’s a beautiful day here. Guests can still walk to Poipu Beach. There are bathrooms that work. The water\u2019s running.\u201d<\/p>\n Kelly Kakalia, co-owner of The Musubi Truck, a Kauai food truck business, said she is not overly worried about the interruption to tourism.<\/p>\n \u201cI would be silly to say tourism doesn\u2019t drive our economy,\u201d she said, but \u201cour island needs time to rest and rebuild and make sure locals have power and water\u201d before welcoming back tourists.<\/p>\n On Wednesday, Musubi’s staff used its commercial kitchen in Wailua, on Kauai\u2019s east side, to serve nearly 600 free meals. Relying on propane to cook and generators to keep food cold, they prepared poke bowls, chicken, ahi katsu and rice. A neighboring cafe owner plugged a blender into her pickup truck to make free smoothies, and a nearby brewery brought warm beer for the volunteers.<\/p>\n \u201cWe were serving from 10:30 to 4 and there was a line the entire time,” Kakalia said.<\/p>\n Born and raised on Kauai, the 36-year-old said she didn\u2019t want to sell food during a time of need. The community is filled with classmates, cousins and others she\u2019s known all her life, she said.<\/p>\n After the kitchen got power back, Kakalia donated the generators to other families still without electricity.<\/p>\n As for losing any business, she said, “that\u2019s just part of it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe community and island are more important,\u201d Kakalia said.<\/p>\n ___<\/p>\n Johnson reported from Seattle and Rodriguez from San Francisco. Associated Press writer Gabriela Aoun Angueira in San Diego contributed.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n