Hawaii Faces Aftermath of Tropical Storm Lala

As Tropical Storm Lala moved westward away from Hawaii, residents grappled with the aftermath of heavy rains. Over the weekend, the storm caused significant damage across the islands.

In Waiohinu on Hawaii’s Big Island, a mudslide destroyed approximately twelve homes. Resident Alice Birnbaum described the scene to CBS News, saying, “The boulders that were coming down were so heavy they were like shaking the ground.” She noted that the news crew was the first outside contact she had since the storm’s impact. Urgent needs in the community include water, propane, gas, and food.

The last hurricane to make direct landfall in Hawaii was Iniki in 1992. Although Lala’s eye did not hit the islands directly, it passed 30 miles off the Big Island’s coast. It brought winds over 80 mph and heavy rainfall, with some locations receiving more than three feet of rain. Kapalua in Maui County recorded 48 inches of rain over the weekend.

Poweroutage.us reported that over 100,000 customers were without electricity across the Hawaiian Islands as of Monday. Bridges on the Big Island were washed away, and some communities are isolated. With emergency services unable to reach them, Waiohinu residents have depended on one another. One family, including a young child, escaped their home just before it was washed away.

All state and county offices, Department of Education schools, public charter schools, courts, and judiciary offices in Hawaii were closed Monday, according to state officials.

The National Hurricane Center reported that Lala had weakened to a tropical storm but could regain strength and become a hurricane over the Pacific by late Tuesday. As of Monday night, Lala’s sustained winds reached 65 mph, showing slight intensification from earlier in the day.