Updated
Updated · NBC News · Aug 16
Hurricane Lala Cuts Power to 130,000 in Hawaii, Killing 1 on Big Island
Updated
Updated · NBC News · Aug 16

Hurricane Lala Cuts Power to 130,000 in Hawaii, Killing 1 on Big Island

3 articles · Updated · NBC News · Aug 16

Summary

  • More than 130,000 Hawaii utility customers were without electricity Sunday morning after Hurricane Lala lashed the Big Island with fierce winds and heavy rain.
  • One person died in a storm-related car crash, while first responders handled reports of damaged roofs and downed trees, Gov. Josh Green and Honolulu Fire Chief Sheldon Hao said.
  • About a foot of rain fell in parts of the Big Island and Maui, the National Hurricane Center said, after Lala narrowly avoided landfall on the Big Island.
  • The near miss still made history: the Big Island has not taken a direct hurricane hit in 155 years, underscoring how unusual Lala's impact was even without landfall.

Insights

Forecasts hint Tropical Storm Lala could unexpectedly reach hurricane strength; are Hawaiian residents prepared for a much deadlier impact than initially predicted?
With Hawaii facing both raging wildfires and catastrophic floods from Tropical Storm Lala, can the islands' infrastructure survive this terrifying double disaster?