Mudslide on Hawaii's Big Island destroys homes after Hurricane Lala passes

A mudslide swept through the Waiohinu community on Hawaii's Big Island on Monday, destroying roughly a dozen homes after the eye of former Hurricane Lala passed within 30 miles of the island. The storm, which had weakened to a tropical storm, brought wind gusts over 80 mph and rainfall exceeding three feet in some areas.

"The boulders that were coming down were so heavy they were like shaking the ground," resident Alice Birnbaum told CBS News.

Authorities reported that a 90-year-old woman was found dead in nearby Naalehu after being reported missing during the storm, with police saying no foul play was suspected. Bridges on the island were washed away, cutting off several communities and leaving about 71,000 customers without power.

Emergency services were unable to reach some isolated areas, prompting residents to rely on one another for supplies such as water, propane, gas and food. State and county offices, courts and most public schools on the Big Island remained closed on Tuesday, while facilities in Oahu, Maui and Kauai were scheduled to reopen.

The National Hurricane Center indicated that the system, now a tropical storm with sustained winds of 70 mph, could regain hurricane strength over open Pacific waters later in the week.