Hurricane Lala Skirts Hawaii’s Big Island, Leaves 165,000 Without Power on August 16

Tropical Storm Lala skirted Hawaii’s Big Island on August 16 without making landfall, sparing the island from its first direct hurricane hit in 155 years. The storm still battered the region with hurricane-force winds, drenching rain, and dangerous flooding. At least 165,000 customers lost power, more than 100 homes were damaged, and one death was reported in a car accident. Governor Josh Green ordered all state schools, courts, and offices closed statewide on Monday, August 17.

Why Lala avoided direct landfall but still caused damage

The eye of Hurricane Lala passed the Big Island’s southern tip, preventing the catastrophic direct hit that had not occurred in 155 years. National Weather Service meteorologist Joseph Clark confirmed landfall was not expected at that point. However, the storm’s outer bands unleashed hurricane-force winds and torrential rain that flooded roads, swept homes off foundations, and turned rivers into raging torrents. Higher elevations on the Big Island, dominated by Mauna Kea volcano, received up to 63 centimetres of rain in some areas.

Power outages and infrastructure damage across the islands

Around 165,000 utility customers remained without power across Hawaii by Sunday mid-afternoon, according to utility tracker PowerOutage.us. At least three hospitals operated on generator power. Governor Green reported 19 roofs were lost and more than 100 homes were destroyed or damaged. Flash floods swept several occupied homes off their foundations in the coastal communities of Na’alehu and Wai’ohinu near the island’s southern tip, triggering a search-and-rescue mission involving Civil Defense, the National Guard, and Coast Guard.

Tropical storm warnings extend westward across the islands

Tropical storm warnings remained in effect for Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe, Oahu, Kauai, and Niihau as Lala moved west. The National Hurricane Center warned that wind speeds atop mountains are often up to 30 percent stronger than near-surface winds. Heavy rainfall was expected to continue into Sunday, creating life-threatening mudslide risks in mountainous areas where people live in improvised housing.

Schools and government offices shut down Monday

The Hawaii State Department of Education closed all public schools statewide on Monday, August 17, to allow time for campus safety assessments and utility restoration. Governor Green also closed all state and county offices, courts, and Judiciary offices. Nā’ālehu Elementary School and Ka’ū High and Pāhala Elementary School on the Big Island remained closed through at least August 20 due to storm damage and road closures affecting safe access.

Final Thoughts

Lala’s near-miss spared Hawaii from a rare direct hurricane strike, but the tropical storm still inflicted significant damage across the islands. With power restored gradually and schools reopening by Tuesday at earliest, recovery efforts will continue through the week.

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