Heavy rain prompted flash flood warnings and road closures Wednesday on Hawaii island.

Hawaii County Civil Defense reported heavy rain near Laupahoehoe, and Highway 19 was closed at Papaaloa due to flooding on a bridge near mile marker 23, according to the National Weather Service.

The weather service canceled the warning for the west side of the island at 4:45 p.m. after heavy showers dissipated. Rainfall rates of 1 to 3 inches per hour were observed in some areas, weather officials said.

The Hawaii Police Department reopened Kuakini Highway on Wednesday afternoon after it was closed for about 1-1/2 hours from Oni Oni Street to Queen Kaahumanu Highway in Kailua-Kona.

Fallen birds create mystery

LIHUE » The Air Force is working to resolve a lighting issue at its Kokee Air Force Station that is causing endangered and threatened birds to fall from the sky.

More than 126 birds have fallen around the 10-acre station, 10 of which have died, the Garden Island newspaper reported Tuesday. Most of the injured birds are Newell’s shearwaters, which are listed as a threatened species. Endangered Hawaiian petrels have also been affected.

More than 10 birds fell this past weekend, which comes after 80 birds fell last week.

The Kokee Air Force Station provides 24-hour radar air surveillance to the Hawaii Regional Operations Control Center and is operated by the Hawaii Air National Guard and maintained by the Pacific Air Forces’ Regional Support Center.

Officials say the problem is likely caused by misdirected lights combined with foggy weather. Shearwaters fly over land at night and can become distracted by lights, causing them to hit objects or fly until exhaustion.

The fallen birds are being treated at the Kauai Humane Society, which runs a Save Our Shearwater program.

Air Force spokeswoman Anastasia Wasem, who is stationed in Alaska, said the service trying to find the cause of the sudden rash of falls. She said it is unclear why the lights were positioned incorrectly, if that is the cause.