Hurricane Lala Batters Hawaii With Floods and Outages

Hawaii is dealing with severe flooding, mudslides, power outages and wind damage after Hurricane Lala passed close to the Big Island without making landfall. The category one storm brought as much as 32in (81cm) of rain to some areas, causing torrents of water to rush down mountainsides and washing more than 100 homes from their foundations. One person died in a car accident, although Governor Josh Green said there did not appear to be any broader loss of life linked to the destroyed properties. Many others were treated in hospital for minor injuries. Lala’s eyewall passed within about 30 miles (48km) of Big Island’s South Point. Its winds peaked at 91mph before weakening to approximately 65mph as the storm was downgraded to a tropical storm and moved westward south of Hawaii. Despite the weakening, tropical storm warnings remained in effect for all eight major Hawaiian islands because of continuing flood and wind risks. The storm caused widespread disruption. About 219,000 customers lost electricity, three hospitals switched to backup generators, and Big Island’s two main airports were temporarily closed. The governor said 190 flights had been postponed. Some Maui residents also lost their water supply. Approximately 180 Hawaii National Guard members were deployed to assist with emergency response efforts. The article places the event in historical and climate context. The last hurricane to strike Hawaii was Hurricane Iniki in 1992, which killed six people and caused about $3bn in damage. It also notes that unusually warm Pacific waters associated with a strong El Niño, influenced in part by climate change, may contribute to storms becoming more frequent or intense.

Hurricane Lala weakened to a tropical storm on Sunday after its eyewall passed close to Hawaii’s Big Island without making landfall, but the storm continued to produce hurricane-force gusts, torrential rain and dangerous flooding. Rainfall totals approached one metre in some higher-elevation areas, triggering fast-moving runoff, mudslides and swollen waterways on steep mountain slopes. Authorities launched search-and-rescue operations after flash floods apparently swept several occupied homes from their foundations in the southern Big Island communities of Na'alehu and Wai'ohinu. At least one person was killed in a vehicle crash in the South Point area. The Honolulu Fire Department reported dozens of storm-related incidents, including downed trees, damaged roofs, fallen power lines and a swimmer rescue. More than 200,000 homes and businesses had lost electricity by Sunday morning, including nearly two-thirds of Big Island customers. At least three hospitals were operating on generator power. Officials warned residents to remain indoors because of flooding, debris, unstable slopes, downed trees and live power lines. Tropical storm warnings remained in effect for several Hawaiian islands, with the heaviest rain affecting Lanai, Molokai and Oahu and wind gusts exceeding 161 kilometres per hour near Mauna Kea. The National Hurricane Center said Lala had sustained winds of 100 km/h and was moving west-northwest away from the islands. Although little change in strength was expected through Monday, forecasters warned that the storm could regain hurricane status on Tuesday or Wednesday farther west of Hawaii. The storm caused extensive damage, including severe flooding at Punalu'u Bake Shop in Na'alehu, where water and about one metre of mud entered the facilities. Residents were particularly concerned because Hawaii was still recovering from destructive floods earlier in the year and from the deadly Maui wildfire three years earlier. Shelters had opened, events were cancelled and ranchers were advised to keep cattle in open pastures. Some residents said improved preparations and communication helped, but the storm still renewed anxiety about prolonged rain, wind and power outages.

Hawaii began damage assessments and cleanup on Aug 16 after Hurricane Lala weakened into a tropical storm while moving west past the Big Island. Although the storm did not make landfall, it brought heavy rain across the island chain and created significant flood risks. The National Hurricane Center had forecast as much as 76cm to 89cm of rain on the Big Island’s windward side, with the threat spreading westward to other islands, including Maui, Oahu, Kauai and Niihau. Tropical storm warnings were issued across Hawaii’s seven other major islands. Lala briefly strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane on Aug 15, producing winds of up to 129kmh, before weakening early the next day. Hawaii Governor Josh Green said officials were still determining whether the storm had caused any deaths. He cited a serious car accident that might have been storm-related, as well as the difficulty of identifying deaths among people experiencing homelessness. Hawaii Emergency Management Director Randy Collins warned that the period after a storm can be especially dangerous, as residents and emergency workers use chainsaws, generators and heavy equipment near downed power lines during cleanup operations. The storm was particularly notable because Hawaii has not been struck by a major hurricane, defined as Category 3 or higher, since Hurricane Iniki killed at least six people and caused billions of dollars in damage in 1992. Another recent storm, Hurricane Fausto, weakened and passed north of the islands. The article also places Lala in the context of a powerful El Nino developing in the central Pacific. NOAA estimates a 69 per cent chance that the event will exceed the strength of previous El Nino episodes recorded since 1950. El Nino generally increases hurricane activity in the Pacific, while climate change can intensify its effects by adding heat and moisture to the atmosphere.

Hurricane Lala left more than 180,000 utility customers without electricity across Hawaii on Sunday after the storm brushed the Big Island and weakened to a tropical storm. Poweroutage.us reported that 183,123 customers were without power as of 3:30 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time. Outages on Oahu, the state’s most populated island, had fallen from more than 220,000 to about 130,000 by Sunday morning, according to state officials. Hawaii Governor Josh Green said officials had received reports of at least 100 damaged homes. The National Hurricane Center said Lala was moving west-southwest toward Kauai County at about 20 mph, with maximum sustained winds near 65 mph—just below the 73-mph threshold for hurricane status. A tropical storm warning remained in effect for Kauai, while warnings for Maui and Oahu had been lifted. Forecasters expected the storm to clear the Hawaiian islands by Monday morning if it stayed on its projected course. Hawaiian Electric said repair work was being slowed by hurricane-force winds that toppled trees and heavy rain that flooded roads. Officials described flash flooding in parts of Hawaii as unprecedented, while the National Weather Service said two homes had been swept away. At least one person was reported dead in a car-related accident, prompting authorities to advise residents to remain indoors and avoid beaches. About 117 people were staying in shelters as of Sunday morning. The Hawaii Department of Transportation released video showing floodwaters overtaking roads and said all airports had reopened. Nevertheless, state officials advised travelers to check with their airlines for possible disruptions. The storm’s effects included widespread outages, property damage, dangerous flooding and transportation concerns, although conditions were expected to improve as Lala moved away from the islands.

Tropical Storm Lala moved westward away from Hawaii on Sunday after bringing torrential rain, powerful winds, flash flooding, landslides and widespread infrastructure damage. The storm formed on August 13, intensified into a Category 1 hurricane as it approached Hawaii’s Big Island, and then weakened back into a tropical storm. Although Lala never made landfall, its eyewall passed approximately 30 miles offshore, close enough to cause severe impacts across the islands. At least 100 homes on the Big Island were damaged or swept away, and rescue teams responded in the coastal communities of Naalehu and Waiohinu. Hawaii Governor Josh Green said an elderly woman was rescued from a tree after floodwaters destroyed her home. Officials were also investigating two deaths to determine whether they were storm-related. Rainfall exceeded 30 inches in parts of the Big Island, while wind gusts reached more than 161 kph at higher elevations, including the summit of Mauna Kea. Floodwaters damaged roads and bridges, and a section of highway near Pahala collapsed, isolating as many as 2,500 residents. Honolulu’s fire department received more than 600 weather-related calls, including reports of 147 fallen trees. Approximately 184,000 homes and businesses remained without electricity, with nearly 70% of Big Island customers affected. At least three hospitals were operating on generators, while damaged roads and bridges hampered emergency and repair operations. More than 190 flights were postponed and 52 cancelled, although airports remained open. Forecasters warned that heavy rain could continue to cause flash floods and mudslides after the storm’s departure. The National Hurricane Center expected Lala’s effects to move away from Hawaii by Monday morning, but said the storm could strengthen again and potentially become a hurricane by Tuesday or Wednesday.