Tropical Storm Lala brings heavy rain, power outages and flooding to Hawaii
Lala weakened to a tropical storm after passing near Hawaii, delivering strong winds, up to three feet of rain on the Big Island and widespread power outages.
Hurricane Lala downgraded to a tropical storm on Sunday after skirting the Hawaiian islands without making landfall, but it continued to generate hurricane-force gusts on the Big Island. The National Hurricane Center warned that winds atop mountains and on windward and leeward slopes can be up to 30% stronger than near-surface measurements used for storm classification.
Rainfall totals of nearly three feet were forecast for the higher windward slopes, raising the risk of flash floods and mudslides. Waves battered the Big Island’s coast as the storm passed slowly, and strong winds caused damage to trees and infrastructure.
More than 130,000 households on Maui, Oahu and the Big Island lost power, according to utility data. At least three hospitals were operating on generator power, Governor Josh Green said. One person died in a car accident on the Big Island, and 19 roofs were reported damaged.
A search-and-rescue effort involving Civil Defense, the National Guard and the Coast Guard was launched after flash floods swept several homes off their foundations in the coastal communities of Na'alehu and Wai'ohinu, Hawaii County Mayor Kimo Alameda said. > "What makes this very challenging is that there's rushing water, there's debris, and there's boulders on the road and it's dark," Alameda added.
Tropical storm warnings remain in effect for Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe, Oahu, Kauai and Niihau as Lala moves westward, bringing the potential for further flooding and wind-driven wildfires. At 2 a.m. Sunday, the storm was centered about 105 miles west-northwest of Kailua-Kona and about 100 miles south of Honolulu, with tropical-storm-force winds extending up to 175 miles from its center. Lala sustained top winds of 70 mph and was moving northwest at roughly 15 mph. Forecasters expect it could regain hurricane strength later in the week once it is well west of the islands.
Higher-elevation areas on the Big Island could receive up to 35 inches of rain, enough to destabilize steep slopes where many residents live in improvised housing. Prior to the storm, shelters were opened, events canceled and ranchers advised to keep cattle in pastures. Residents reported preparing for power outages and flooding, with some stocking up on fuel and water supplies.
The hurricane center projected 8 to 12 inches of rain across Maui and lower elevations of the Big Island, and 4 to 6 inches across the rest of the island chain.