Tropical Storm ‘Lala’ Causes Widespread Damage in Hawaii, Flooding and Landslides in the Southeast, More Than 120,000 People Without Power

As Tropical Storm ‘Lala’ moves away from Hawaii, the most severe impact has been recorded in the southeastern part of the Big Island, where the storm caused significant damage.

Heavy rainfall triggered major flooding and landslides, while roads were severely damaged and more than 100 homes were damaged or destroyed.

The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency said that two people had died. Authorities urged residents to exercise caution, as downed power lines continue to pose a serious risk.

Road infrastructure has also been badly affected. Sections of the Pahala Highway have collapsed, isolating the area where a hospital is located.

Hawaii’s governor described scenes of widespread destruction. According to the governor, massive water flows brought down bridges along the highway, while traffic in several other areas has been blocked by fallen trees and piles of debris.

The storm’s power was also evident in footage recorded in Hilo. Rainbow Falls looked completely different before and after the storm passed, as the heavy rainfall significantly increased the volume of water.

Up to one meter of rain was recorded in some parts of Hawaii, while the strongest winds in the Mauna Kea area exceeded 161 kilometers per hour.

The force of the winds, which reached hurricane-like levels, caused widespread power outages in Hawaii, Honolulu and Maui counties.

Meanwhile, more than 120,000 people remain without electricity, as repair crews work to restore service and fix the damage.

Data from the US National Hurricane Center showed that Lala was moving west-northwest at around 17 28 km/h.

As it moved away from Hawaii, the storm had maximum sustained winds of nearly 100 km/h.

Although the storm is moving away, authorities remain on high alert. Flooding, landslides and infrastructure damage continue to significantly disrupt residents’ daily lives.