Hawaii hit by Hurricane Lala: One casualty, homes devastated by flash floods

Sun Sep 06 2026 02:38:16 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Hurricane Lala delivers severe rain and winds to Hawaii, causing one death, uprooted houses and power outages. Emergency forces are on the scene.

Hurricane Lala, a Category‑One storm, swept across Hawaii’s Big Island without making landfall but dumped up to 35 inches of rain, triggering flash floods and mudslides that uprooted numerous homes. One person died in a car accident, and as many as 200,000 residents lost power. National Guard units, local emergency services, and the National Hurricane Centre are coordinating response efforts amid ongoing tropical‑storm warnings for all eight islands. With rising sea temperatures linked to climate change, scientists warn that future hurricanes could be even more destructive.

Hawaii hit by Hurricane Lala: One casualty, homes devastated by flash floods

Hawaii is suffering the effects of Category‑One Hurricane Lala – heavy rain, brutal winds, flash floods and mudslides that have shredded homes in the Big Island’s coastal communities. The storm has already claimed one life in a car accident, and a search‑and‑rescue operation is underway to find residents whose houses were swept away.

Lightning‑driven rain totals of up to 35 inches (89 cm) poured over the island, turning mountain slopes into torrents and uprooting buildings from their foundations at Naalehu and Waiohinu. More than 200,000 households lost electricity, and three hospitals briefly grounded before backup generators kicked in.

Although Lala has weakened to a tropical storm and is now moving westward, officials say the danger is not over. The National Hurricane Center warned of additional rainfall of 4 to 8 inches across the Big Island and windward Maui, with the total for the storm projected to reach 30 to 35 inches. The United States National Weather Service confirmed that two homes were swept away amid the rainfall.

Governor Kimo Alameda announced a civil defence team has launched a rescue effort to scour for people whose homes were destroyed. The rescue ministry described the challenge as “rushing water, debris and boulders on the road, and it’s dark.”

An estimated 180 Hawaii National Guard members have been dispatched to support emergency operations, and the state’s two main airports—Hilo International and Kona—were temporarily closed but have since reopened. Sixty‑five flights were postponed, and Maui residents experienced water service disruptions.

The Pacific’s recently strong El Niño, a result of warmer ocean temperatures, fuels many tropical storms. Scientists warn that climate change could increase the likelihood of more powerful storms that wreak far greater havoc. This year, the last major tropical disturbance to strike Hawaii was the Category 4 Iniki in 1992, which killed six people and caused about £3 bn in damage.