Tropical Storm Lala has moved westward, leaving Hawaii to address the aftermath of intense rainfall. Waiohinu, a community on Hawaii’s Big Island, experienced significant destruction over the weekend. A mudslide led to the destruction of around a dozen homes.
“The boulders that were coming down were so heavy they were like shaking the ground,” said resident Alice Birnbaum. The CBS News crew was the first outside group she encountered following the storm.
Residents face shortages of essential supplies. “We need water, propane, gas, and food,” Birnbaum stated.
Hurricanes rarely make landfall in Hawaii, with the last being Hurricane Iniki in 1992. However, Lala’s eye passed just 30 miles from the Big Island’s coast, bringing strong winds and heavy rain. Some areas received over 3 feet of rainfall, with Kapalua recording 48 inches.
Over 100,000 customers remain without power, according to poweroutage.us. Washed-out bridges have isolated several communities. With emergency services unable to reach them, Waiohinu locals depend on mutual aid. One family barely escaped their home before it was swept away.
State and county offices, along with schools and courts, closed on Monday as a precaution. Now weakened, Lala continues to move across the Pacific. Forecasts suggest it may regain hurricane strength soon, potentially reaching hurricane status over open waters by late Tuesday, as reported by the National Hurricane Center. Lala had maximum sustained winds of 65 mph as of Monday night.
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