Tropical Storm Lala began moving away from Hawaii on Sunday after battering the islands with heavy rain and powerful winds, leaving at least 100 homes damaged or swept away and nearly 1,84,000 customers without power. Lala formed as a tropical storm on August 13 and strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane as it approached the Big Island on Saturday, before weakening again as it moved westward.The storm brought torrential rain, flash flooding, landslides and hurricane-force wind gusts across Hawaii. More than 30 inches of rain fell in parts of the Big Island, while gusts at higher elevations topped 161 kph. Despite the scale of the damage, Lala never made landfall, with its eyewall passing close to the southern coast of the Big Island.
Damage across the islands
Hawaii governor Josh Green said at least 100 homes were damaged or swept away on the Big Island. No deaths have been confirmed in connection with the homes that were washed away, although officials were investigating two other deaths to determine whether they were storm-related.Rescue teams were sent to the coastal communities of Naalehu and Waiohinu after floodwaters swept through the area. Green said an elderly woman was rescued from a tree after her home was washed away.Flooding also damaged roads and small bridges. A section of highway near Pahala collapsed after floodwaters surged across it, leaving up to 2,500 residents isolated. Green warned that the Big Island was likely to have suffered numerous landslides.More than 30 inches of rain fell in parts of the Big Island, while higher elevations recorded up to 89 cm. In Honolulu, the fire department received more than 600 weather-related calls by Sunday afternoon, including 147 reports of fallen trees. Roofs were blown off and power lines were brought down in several areas.More than 190 flights were postponed and 52 were cancelled, although airports across the state remained open.
Lakhs without power
Around 184,000 homes and businesses were still without electricity across Hawaii as Lala moved west. Nearly 70% of customers on the Big Island had lost power.At least three hospitals were operating on generators, while fallen trees and damaged roads were slowing repair and emergency work. Officials said some communities remained difficult to reach because of washed-out roads and bridges.Honolulu also saw widespread disruption, with fallen trees, damaged infrastructure and flooded roads reported across the city.Tropical storm warnings remained in effect for several islands, with forecasters warning that heavy rain could continue to trigger flash floods and mudslides even as Lala moved away.
Major impact without landfall
Lala strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane on Saturday before weakening to a tropical storm. It made its closest approach to the Big Island at around 5 p.m. local time, with its eyewall passing roughly 30 miles offshore.The storm therefore did not make landfall, but its powerful winds and rain still battered the islands. Wind gusts reached more than 161 kph at the summit of Mauna Kea, while powerful waves hit the Big Island coast.The National Hurricane Center said Lala’s effects were expected to move out of the Hawaiian Islands by Monday morning. However, the threat from flooding and mudslides remained as rainbands continued to pass over the islands.Forecasters also said Lala could strengthen again after moving farther west of Hawaii, potentially becoming a hurricane again by Tuesday or Wednesday.