Lala Kills One, Cuts Power to 200,000
Lala Kills One, Cuts Power to 200,000
The News
One person is dead and more than 200,000 utility customers lost power across Hawaii after Hurricane Lala brushed the Big Island over the weekend and weakened into a tropical storm, Reuters reported.
The victim died in a car-related accident on Saturday, state officials said. The Japan Times reported the storm came closest to the South Point area on the southern tip of the Big Island, where the death occurred.
Hawaii Governor Josh Green said Sunday that officials had received reports of at least 100 homes damaged. The National Weather Service said two homes were swept away.
Timeline
Lala, then a hurricane, batters Hawaii's southern areas. Video released by the Hawaii Department of Transportation shows flood waters overtaking roads. One person is reported dead in a car-related accident near the Big Island's southern tip.
Hawaiian Electric warns customers that repair work is being hampered as hurricane-force winds topple trees and rain floods roadways.
State officials say outages on Oahu, the most populated island, have fallen from more than 220,000 to about 130,000. About 117 people are in shelters. All airports have reopened, the Hawaii Department of Transportation says.
The National Hurricane Center puts Lala's maximum sustained winds near 65 mph, moving west-northwest at almost 16 mph — just below the 73 mph hurricane threshold.
About 219,000 customers statewide are without power, according to poweroutageus.com.
Reactions
State officials urged residents to stay inside as the storm's rain bands kept coming. "It's not a day to go to the beach," one official said at a Sunday morning press conference.
A state official described the flash flooding in Hawaii's southern areas as "like we've never seen."
Green confirmed the damage reports Sunday, putting the count at a minimum of 100 homes.
What's Next
A tropical storm warning remains in effect for Maui, Oahu and Kauai counties, according to the National Hurricane Center's latest advisory. The Japan Times reported more heavy rain and wind are still to come.
Power restoration continues, with the largest remaining outage concentration on Oahu. Airports are open, but state officials advised travelers to check with their airlines before heading out.
More
Lala's track spared Hawaii a direct landfall — the center passed near South Point rather than coming ashore — but the storm's rain and wind field was wide enough to knock out power on islands far from the eye, including Oahu, more than 200 miles from the Big Island's southern tip.
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