Videos Show Hurricane Lala Wash Away Roads, Bridges After Catastrophic Rain

Hurricane Lala wreaked havoc across Hawaii, with devastating videos capturing the storm's aftermath. The storm, which downgraded to a tropical storm on Sunday, caused extensive damage to homes, transportation links, and left hundreds of thousands without electricity. The hardest hit were the rainfall records, with Laupāhoehoe on Hawaii Island's northern coast receiving 42.69 inches, Nahuku with 35 inches, and Hilo International Airport measuring nearly 10 inches.

The torrential rain led to severe flooding, mudslides, and fast-moving torrents that overwhelmed roads and streams. Governor Josh Green reported at least 100 homes were damaged or destroyed, while state officials noted significant infrastructure damage across multiple islands. Videos from the Hawaii Department of Transportation showed floodwaters overtaking roadways, while emergency officials reported widespread washouts in the hardest-hit areas.

Many occupied homes were inundated, prompting search-and-rescue operations by local agencies, the National Guard, and the Coast Guard. Hawaiian Electric reported 178,400 customers remained without electricity, with most outages on Oahu and Hawaii Island. Power outages are expected to persist as repair crews assess and repair critical infrastructure.

Hawaii’s Emergency Management Agency warned of lingering hazards like hazardous debris, contamination risks, and electrical dangers due to flooded areas. At the peak, over 200,000 customers lost power statewide, and at least three hospitals operated using backup generators. The storm peaked at Category 1 hurricane strength, with 75 mph winds, before weakening and skirting Hawaii Island without making a landfall.

Lala was expected to clear the island chain by Monday morning, though flooding, landslides, rough surf, and power outages might continue for days.