Hurricane Lala caused at least one death and widespread infrastructure damage across Hawaii after passing near the islands this week [2].
The storm's impact highlights the vulnerability of island infrastructure to extreme weather events, as flooding and mudslides disrupted essential services across multiple islands.
Lala first impacted the state on Saturday, Aug. 15, primarily affecting the Big Island, though Maui, Oahu, and Kauai also experienced the storm's effects [1, 3]. While the system was later downgraded to a tropical storm, the National Hurricane Center said there were "life‑threatening" conditions during the event [1].
The Big Island suffered the most significant damage. The New York Times said the storm narrowly missed land, but its outer bands left the Big Island with power outages, road closures, and flooded homes [3]. Approximately 100 homes were swept off their foundations [4].
Utility disruptions were felt statewide, with more than 40,000 customers left without power [1]. The storm's outer bands brought heavy rain and strong winds that triggered mudslides and flooded residential areas [1, 2].
Gov. Josh Green (D-HI) ordered the closure of all schools and state and county offices to ensure public safety [2]. The closures remained in effect through Monday, Aug. 17, as recovery efforts began [2].
Emergency crews continue to clear debris from roads and restore electricity to the thousands of affected residents. Local officials said they have not yet released a full estimate of the financial losses resulting from the infrastructure damage [3].
“"life‑threatening" conditions”
The damage caused by Lala, particularly the loss of homes on the Big Island, underscores the increasing risk posed by tropical systems that do not make a direct landfall. Even when a storm is downgraded or narrowly misses the coast, the outer bands can produce enough rainfall and wind to overwhelm local drainage and power grids, necessitating a shift in emergency preparedness for 'near-miss' scenarios.
