Hurricane Lala caused one death and widespread infrastructure damage across Hawaii after passing south of the islands over the weekend. Hawaii Governor Josh Green (D) confirmed Monday that a 90-year-old woman died in flooding on the Big Island. The storm, which has since been downgraded to a tropical storm, moved west over the Pacific Ocean on Monday after delivering heavy rainfall and hurricane-force winds to several counties.
The storm reached Category 1 strength on Saturday, making its closest approach about 30 miles south of the Big Island at 5 p.m. local time. Meteorologists reported that the storm maintained its strength due to warmer ocean temperatures linked to a marine heat wave and a developing Super El Niño. The National Hurricane Center noted that the eyewall brushed the southern portion of the island, resulting in over 3.5 feet of rain in mountainous areas.
On the Big Island, Governor Green reported that over 100 homes were damaged or lost. Flash floods and landslides destroyed at least six bridges and caused a significant collapse of the Pāhala Highway, which isolated approximately 2,500 residents and cut off access to a regional hospital. In Honolulu County, emergency crews performed 160 ocean rescues and reported more than 30 damaged roofs. As of Monday afternoon, approximately 100,000 customers remained without power across the state.
For residents, the day-to-day impact includes the closure of all state and county offices, schools, and courts through at least Tuesday. Those in the southern Big Island face significant travel disruptions due to a record number of road closures and the loss of bridges. Additionally, a statewide brown water advisory remains in effect, meaning residents must avoid coastal waters and streams due to the potential for contaminated stormwater runoff affecting health and safety.
The knock-on effects include a backlog in the state's judiciary and educational systems following multi-day closures. The destruction of bridges and highway sections in the Kaʻū area establishes a need for major state and federal infrastructure funding to restore access to medical facilities. Emergency management officials warned that casualties often increase during the cleanup phase as residents interact with heavy machinery and downed lines. Utility crews from Hawaiian Electric are currently prioritizing main line repairs, but no final completion date for all 100,000 customers has been established.