Tropical Storm Lala struck Hawaii on Aug. 16 and 17, killing at least one person [1] and leaving thousands without power.
The storm caused significant infrastructure damage on the Big Island, forcing the state government to halt operations to ensure public safety.
More than 100,000 people remain without power following the storm's passage [2]. Officials said that about 100 homes were damaged [2]. The system moved westward toward the islands and was expected to strengthen into a hurricane before hitting the Big Island [3, 4].
Governor Josh Green (D-HI) closed government offices and schools on Aug. 17 to mitigate risks [2]. The storm brought heavy rain and strong winds as it neared the archipelago [3].
Reports on the exact nature of the storm's arrival differ. Some sources said the system raked the islands with wind and rain without making a formal landfall, while others describe the subsequent muddy cleanup as the system moved west of Hawaii.
Emergency crews continue to assess the damage across the Big Island. The state continues to monitor the aftermath as power restoration efforts proceed for the 100,000 residents still in the dark [2].
“At least one person killed”
The impact of Tropical Storm Lala highlights the vulnerability of Hawaii's power grid to extreme weather. While the storm did not reach the full hurricane strength some forecasts predicted, the resulting outages and fatalities underscore the risks posed by rare landfall threats to the Big Island.
