Storm Lala damages more than 100 homes and several bridges on Hawaii’s Big Island
Lala was downgraded from hurricane to tropical storm Sunday, but could become a hurricane again by Wednesday Clean-up efforts started on Hawaii after Hurricane Lala rolled past the Big Island and dumped heavy rain across the US Pacific state. Lala was downgraded to a tropical storm by the time it grazed the islands, but it brought heavy rains and winds strong enough to sweep about 100 homes off…
Tropical Storm Lala wreaked havoc on Hawaii's Big Island, causing significant damage and loss of life. At least 100 homes and bridges were destroyed, while over 100,000 residents were left without power. The storm brought heavy rains and strong winds, with some areas receiving over 3.5 feet of rainfall over 48 hours. One person died due to the storm, and another woman was found dead after being reported missing.
Hawaii County Mayor Kimo Alameda described the situation as "devastation," and Governor Josh Green estimated the storm caused hundreds of millions of dollars in damages statewide. Utility crews worked to restore power, but warned that remote areas could face outages lasting weeks. Rescue operations were conducted using helicopters and drones in the affected mountainous regions.
Despite the storm's passage, officials cautioned that dangers still existed, especially for cleanup crews working with heavy machinery and facing downed power lines. While Lala downgraded to a tropical storm, the National Hurricane Center warned it could regain hurricane status by Wednesday. This storm comes as a powerful El Niño event develops in the Pacific Ocean, which could lead to extreme weather conditions in the region.
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