O'ahu could greet the New Year with another gloomy, wet day, forecasters said, and a flash-flood watch was in effect for Maui County and the Big Island through late last night.

"We have not extended a flood watch for O'ahu," said Jeff Powell, lead forecaster for the National Weather Service.

"But that doesn't mean O'ahu's going to be dry."

Preparing for the worst — possible power outages during today's telecast of the Allstate Sugar Bowl — Hawaiian Electric Co. officials said the utility has doubled the number of its troubleshooters to quickly respond to any weather-related outages that could disrupt Sugar Bowl parties across O'ahu.

HECO added four troubleshooters for the game between Hawai'i and Georgia to complement the normal four to five troubleshooters who normally work on a typical weekday, HECO spokesman Darren Pai said.

Pai also hoped that New Year's Eve celebraters heeded HECO's warnings last night to not hang firecrackers and fireworks on utility poles, which could also lead to power outages today.

HECO crews also inspected the transformers, connections and other equipment that service television station KHON, which is broadcasting the Sugar Bowl, to make sure everything was working, Pai said.

"We've done this type of preparation before for some of the previous UH games, such as the Washington and Boise State games," Pai said.

Yesterday, heavy rain inundated a 12-inch sewer line in Kailua, causing about 13,500 gallons of sewage to spill near Hele Street and Keolu Drive and overflow into Enchanted Lake, which flows into Kailua Bay.

Warning signs were posted at Kailua Beach where Ka'elepulu Stream empties into the bay.

Overflowing sewage popped sewer manhole covers, and crews from the Department of Environmental Services contained the spill at 5:30 a.m.

Heavy rainfall triggered a minor mudslide in Kailua and also caused a 5-foot boulder to fall onto Pupukea Road on the North Shore, but neither caused any injuries or damage.

State Department of Transportation spokesman Scott Ishikawa said the mudslide occurred on the mauka side of Kalaniana'ole Highway in the Waimanalo direction around 3 a.m.

"It was early enough that our crews could get to it and not disrupt traffic too much," Ishikawa said.

The American Red Cross Hawai'i Chapter said it inspected 20 homes in the Kawailoa Road area mauka of Kailua Beach Park and found that two homes sustained minor flood damage.

Meanwhile, firefighters rescued two men who were trapped by rushing water underneath a bridge on Nu'uanu Avenue for more than two hours early yesterday.

Blane Baker, 45, and Mark Garcia, 24, said they had gone under the bridge to go to sleep and escape the heavy rains around midnight.

They were rescued after an area resident, Stanford Kaeo, stopped on the bridge to watch the rapids and heard them yelling from below. The bridge is next to the Chevron station near Pauoa Road.

"He was the only one that heard us," Baker said. "I thought we were done. We were on the ledge, and the water was whipping by, right below us. We were screaming for help."

Kaeo said he likes to go to the stream during flash-flood warnings so he can watch the rapids.

"It filled up quick this time," Kaeo said. "I thought I was hearing things at first. They were lucky to have a little island down there to stand on, because that water could have easily swept them away. I knew I couldn't do anything for them, so I called 911."

Firefighters found the men standing on a 2-foot-wide ledge that was nearly underwater.

"They were lucky the contour of the bridge created a little safe area where they could stand," said HFD Battalion Chief James Perkins. "The water subsided a bit, but when we first got here, they barely had any room to stand."

HFD received the first call about 1:50 a.m. and used ropes to harness the men before bringing them to safety before 4 a.m.

Neither man required medical services.

Some of the worst of the weather hit Moloka'i yesterday. Nearly stationary heavy rain fell at a rate of more than 2 inches per hour over the eastern part of the island, according to the weather service. A gauge on Halawa Stream in eastern Moloka'i yesterday morning showed "a rapid rise" in water level above 8 feet from heavy rainfall.

A small-craft advisory also remained in effect for Hawaiian coastal waters within 40 miles, including the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Boaters were warned of erratic and gusty winds and lightning near thunderstorms.

Reach Dan Nakaso at dnakaso@honoluluadvertiser.com and Dave Dondoneau at ddondoneau@honoluluadvertiser.com.

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