Hurricane Lala Weakens but Leaves Widespread Damage in Hawaii

Tropical Storm Lala briefly intensified into a Category 1 hurricane before weakening but left widespread destruction across Hawaii’s Big Island. The storm made landfall with sustained winds of 75 mph (120 km/h), causing heavy rainfall, life-threatening flooding, and at least one fatality.

The National Hurricane Center warned of up to three feet (one meter) of rain on the higher windward slopes, turning rivers into raging torrents and threatening mudslides. Governor Josh Green declared a state of emergency, describing the storm as 'enormous' and warning residents of destructive flooding and potential wildfires due to strong winds.

As of Sunday morning, nearly 130,000 utility customers across Hawaii were without power according to Reuters and NPR. Three hospitals had switched to generator power by Saturday evening. At least one person died in a car accident in the South Point area of the Big Island per Governor Josh Green.

A search-and-rescue mission involving Civil Defense, the National Guard, and Coast Guard was launched after flash floods apparently swept several occupied homes off their foundations in the coastal communities of Na’alehu and Wai’ohinu near the island’s southern tip. Hawaii County Mayor Kimo Alameda noted that rushing water, debris, and boulders on the road made rescue efforts challenging.

Tropical storm warnings were in effect for Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe, Oahu, Kauai, and Niihau as the storm moved west. As of 2 a.m. Sunday in Hawaii, Lala was centered about 105 miles west-northwest of Kailua-Kona and about 100 miles south of Honolulu, with tropical-storm-force winds extending as far as 175 miles from its center.

Governor Josh Green estimated the storm caused hundreds of millions of dollars in damage statewide. Over 100 homes were damaged or destroyed on the Big Island, along with several bridges and significant highway collapses. Parts of a major highway in the southeast collapsed overnight, blocking access to Pahala, which houses the region's only hospital.

The Honolulu Fire Department responded to over 600 weather-related incidents by noon Sunday on Oahu, including downed trees, roofs blown off buildings, and power lines down. One swimmer required rescue. The storm was downgraded from hurricane status early Sunday but may re-intensify by Wednesday.

Laupahoehoe on the northeast coast of the Big Island saw the heaviest recorded rainfall at 43.54 inches (1.1 meters). The highest winds were atop Mauna Kea volcano, where gusts hit 140 mph (225 kph). At lower elevations, residents experienced tropical storm-force winds of 30 to 40 mph (48 to 64 kph) with gusts up to 60 mph (97 kph), according to National Weather Service meteorologist Patrick Blood.

The last major hurricane to hit Hawaii was Hurricane Iniki in 1992, which caused at least six deaths and billions of dollars in damage. Scientists expect a powerful El Niño to bring extreme weather across the western US in the coming months.