August 18, 2026

Hawaiian Islands Face Aftermath of Tropical Storm Lala

As Tropical Storm Lala moved westward away from Hawaii on Monday, residents faced the aftermath of severe rain over the weekend. The island of Hawaii, particularly the Waiohinu community, experienced a significant mudslide that destroyed approximately twelve homes. Alice Birnbaum, a local resident, shared her experience with CBS News. ‘The boulders were so heavy they were shaking the ground,’ she said, noting that the news crew was the first outside presence since the storm.

Residents are grappling with shortages of essential supplies such as water, propane, gas, and food. A hurricane hasn’t directly hit Hawaii since 1992, but Lala’s eye, while still a hurricane, passed just 30 miles from the Big Island, accompanied by gusts over 80 mph and over 3 feet of rainfall in some parts. Kapalua in Maui County recorded 48 inches of rain.

Power outages impacted more than 100,000 customers across the islands, as reported by poweroutage.us. Infrastructure damage includes washed-away bridges on the Big Island, which isolated entire communities. Without access to emergency services, residents of Waiohinu have relied on community support. One family narrowly escaped with their young child before their home was destroyed.

Consequently, all state and county offices, schools, and judiciary offices were closed on Monday. The storm has weakened to a tropical storm but is predicted to regain strength as it travels the Pacific, potentially becoming a hurricane again by Tuesday night, according to the National Hurricane Center. As of Monday evening, Lala’s winds increased slightly to 65 mph.

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