Hurricane Lala leaves one dead, sweeps homes away in Big Island

A Category 1 tropical cyclone that never made landfall struck the Big Island with up to 35in of rain, generating flash floods, mudslides and the removal of two homes from their foundations in the coastal villages of Naalehu and Waiohinu.

The storm’s eyewall was only 30mi from the island’s south‑western tip, delivering winds of about 65mph and heavy rainfall that produced torrents down mountainsides. A search‑and‑rescue operation is deploying National Guard teams and county crews to locate people trapped by the floods.

One person died when a car skidded against debris from the storm. Villagers reported that the roads were “blocked by boulders and dark, rushing water” as Mayor Kimo Alameda described the scene.

Following the storm, roughly 219,000 residents lost electricity and three hospitals are still running on backup generators, while the Hilo International and Kona airports remain closed. A total of 190 flights were postponed, and Maui residents experienced interrupted water supplies.

The National Hurricane Center notes that although Lala has weakened, tropical‑storm warnings continue for all eight Hawaiian islands, predicting an additional 4–8 inches of rain on the Big Island and windward Maui. The storm highlights the heightened risk of stronger tropical systems linked to the recent El Niño and climate change.

Source: BBC News – "Hawaii is facing flash floods and mudslides …" (15 August 2026).