Hurricane “Lala” is wreaking havoc in parts of Hawaii, causing damage to buildings and leaving over 110,000 households without power. Strong winds and heavy rain have led to flooding on roads, resulting in one person dying in a car accident.
Darryl Oliviera, the acting director of the Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency, announced in a video update on Saturday night that a car was stranded in floodwaters, with passengers inside awaiting rescue, but he did not provide further details.
Hawaii Governor Josh Green stated on Saturday night that one person had died in a storm-related car accident, and at least 19 building roofs have been torn off.
As of late night local time in Hawaii, the National Weather Service (NWS) has issued flash flood emergency warnings for parts of the Big Island. Affected areas include Naalehu, Pahala, and Hawaiian Ocean View.
Hurricane “Lala” is not expected to make a direct landfall on the Big Island of Hawaii, but it could still bring destructive impacts. Local law enforcement reported that heavy rainfall in the Naalehu area has already washed away two houses.
Officials have described this as a “particularly dangerous situation” and are urging local residents to evacuate to higher ground immediately.
In the past 36 hours, rainfall in most windward areas of the Big Island has reached 1 to 2 feet. Some remote weather stations have even recorded up to 35 inches of rain.
Data from the power tracking website PowerOutage.us shows that as of the latest update, 114,727 households in Hawaii are still without power.
The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency reports numerous incidents of fallen trees and power poles across the Big Island. The agency is urging people to “stay indoors and avoid going outside.”
Officials have announced the temporary closure of Hilo International Airport and Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport on the Big Island. Additionally, commercial ports in the Big Island and Maui County have been closed.
The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency states that approximately 180 members of the Hawaii National Guard have been deployed to assist in emergency rescue and disaster response efforts.