Hawai‘i County Launches Search for 911 Callers After 2 Homes Are Swept Away by Lala Flooding
Updated
Updated · Big Island Now · Aug 16
Hawai‘i County Launches Search for 911 Callers After 2 Homes Are Swept Away by Lala Flooding
3 articles · Updated · Big Island Now · Aug 16
Summary
Joint county, National Guard and Coast Guard crews began search-and-rescue operations in Ka‘ū after flash flooding swept several homes off foundations and left some 911 callers unreachable.
Rising water cut off roads in Nā‘ālehu and Wai‘ohinu, prompting deployment of high-water vehicles and a Coast Guard helicopter for evacuations to shelters in Pāhala and Waiʻohinu.
One fatality was confirmed in Ocean View after a two-car crash, and responders also carried out about five rescues of people stranded in vehicles.
The National Weather Service said rain rates eased from 3 to 5 inches per hour to 1 to 2, but kept a flash flood warning in place until 4 a.m. with more heavy bands expected.
Lala had already killed one person, knocked out power to nearly 70% of the Big Island and triggered a state of emergency as the Category 1 storm moved northwest.