Heavy rain and strong winds continued to move across Hawaii after Hurricane Lala passed the Hawaiian Islands overnight, but weakened slightly Sunday morning to become a tropical depression with 105 mph winds and heavy rain.
More than 200,000 customers are without power islandwide, with nearly 70% of the Big Island without power. Hurricane-force wind gusts were reported in Hawaii, Honolulu and Maui counties, and the island’s mountainous terrain amplified the winds at higher elevations.
At least 100 homes were damaged or lost in the storm, Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said at a news conference Sunday.
A flash flood warning was in effect Sunday afternoon for Oahu, which includes the state capital Honolulu, after flash flooding occurred on Hawaii Island Saturday night.
Hawaii County Mayor Kimo Alameda said overnight that “some of the occupied homes may have been washed off their foundations, and based on this, civil defense forces have launched search and rescue operations.”
Lara has started moving away from the island on Sunday afternoon, but heavy rain is expected to continue throughout the day across the archipelago.
Green blamed the car crash on Saturday night on the storm, but said Sunday it was unclear whether it was related to Lara.
Hawai’i County Acting Civil Defense Secretary Darryl Oliviera said in a video update Saturday night that the occupants of a vehicle stranded in the floodwaters were being rescued, but did not provide further details.
Lala, which strengthened into a Category 1 storm on Saturday, made its closest approach to Hawaii Island around 5 p.m. local time, with its eye wall grazing the south from about 30 miles away, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Footage obtained by CNN shows roads flooded by heavy rains on Hawaii Island, where more than 30 inches of rain fell. More than 190 flights to and from Hawaii have been postponed, Green said.
Flooding hits roads on Hawaii Island
The governor said emergency responders are expected to be busy responding to the emergency for 36 hours as the storm passes through Hawaii, and damage assessments are expected to begin Monday.
Alameda’s mayor said a record number of road closures and extended power outages were reported.
As Lala moves westward, its most serious threat is torrential rain, with the potential for additional flash flooding across other Hawaiian Islands. The National Hurricane Center warned of life-threatening flooding and landslides, especially in steep terrain.
Up to 6 inches of additional rain is expected in parts of Kauai, which is under a tropical storm warning. Tropical storm warnings are also in effect for Maui, Lanai, Molokai, Oahu and Kahoolawe.
Waves could reach 8 to 12 feet, especially on east-facing coasts where high surf advisories are in place.
Landfall in the Hawaiian Islands (when the center of the eye moves over land) has only occurred a few times in modern records. The last tropical cyclone to make landfall was Tropical Storm Olivia, which made landfall on Maui in 2018, making it the first to make landfall on Maui since record-keeping began in the 1950s.
The last hurricane to make landfall was in 1992, when Category 4 Iniki hit Kauai, making it the strongest hurricane to hit the state on record.
Across Hawaii, residents evacuated to designated shelters and scoured packed grocery stores as officials in several counties announced closures and braced for a possible landfall.
In Hilo, grocery stores and gas stations were crowded as people stocked up on essential items, CNN affiliate Hawaii News Now reported. Hawaii County also provided sandbags to residents around the island. About 130 people were evacuated to evacuation centers on Saturday, the mayor said.
“We have to take all the necessary precautions, right? That means batteries, have an emergency kit, inform our neighbors and our kupuna (elders),” the Alameda mayor said earlier in the day. “Our island is large, we have small communities and we are very connected, so please make sure everyone is safe.”
Many roads in Hawaii County are closed due to fallen trees, power lines and landslides, according to the Hawaii County Mayor’s Office.
“While road crews are working diligently to remove debris as conditions permit, all residents and visitors should heed all warnings, move to safe shelters and stay off roadways,” Alameda said.
County officials and the National Guard also talked earlier this year about pre-positioning supplies to areas hard hit by the storm, Hawaii News Now reported.
On Oahu, authorities opened eight hurricane evacuation sites while public facilities such as the Honolulu Zoo were closed.
Authorities urged residents to be careful as the hurricane approaches.
“As the situation worsens, we also need our communities to do their part by securing property, checking on emergency supplies, staying informed, and avoiding unnecessary travel and outdoor activities,” said Kauai Mayor Derek SK Kawakami.
Tropical storms approaching Hawaii typically experience cooling ocean temperatures before reaching the islands, but Lala will remain in warmer waters due to the ongoing marine heatwave extending into California and the developing Super El Niño.
The El Niño phenomenon is contributing to an increased chance of storms in the central Pacific this year as ocean temperatures rise and upper atmospheric winds that normally can cause storms weaken. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts an above-normal season in the central Pacific, with between five and 13 cyclones expected.
This story has been updated with additional information.
