AI Generated Image
Hawaiʻi Island communities cut off by floods, road damage in wake of Lala
Hawaii Public Radio • • general
Key Points:
- Hurricane Lala passed within 35 miles of Hawaiʻi Island at hurricane strength, causing severe winds and heavy rains before weakening to a tropical storm, with significant damage reported especially on the island's south side.
- At least 100 homes sustained storm damage, including one swept off its foundation by flooding, and the Kaʻū District experienced "devastation" with six bridges damaged or destroyed, severely impacting road access.
- The community of Pāhala, home to the region’s only hospital, has been completely cut off, while Nāʻālehu and Waiʻōhinu are partially isolated, prompting urgent efforts to restore critical roadway connections.
- Search-and-rescue operations were conducted in flooded neighborhoods, resulting in one resident being rescued after being swept away; no fatalities directly linked to the storm have been reported so far.
- Over half of Hawaiʻi Island’s residents lost power due to the storm, with some outages expected to last weeks, and rainfall exceeded three and a half feet in parts of the Hāmakua Coast.
