Still recovering from Hurricane Lala, Hawaii prepares for a possible weekend cyclone
HONOLULU (AP) — Hawaiian communities still picking up the pieces after last weekend’s hurricane could get pounded again in the coming days. Hurricane Lala tore roofs off houses, uprooted trees, covered roads in mud and rock and left many…
Hawaii is attempting to recover from Hurricane Lala's aftermath while bracing for another potential cyclone this weekend. The hurricane caused widespread damage, destroying roofs, uprooting trees, flooding roads with mud and rock, and leaving thousands without power. Nearly 15,000 homes and businesses remain without electricity as of Thursday.
Forecasters predict another tropical cyclone may form southeast of the islands and pass near or south of Hawaii's Big Island this weekend, potentially dropping up to 15 inches of rain and causing life-threatening flooding, mudslides, and rip currents.
Hawaii Governor Josh Green and other state officials are set to hold a news conference to discuss the ongoing recovery efforts and the potential cyclone. The hurricane has already claimed two lives in the state. One of the victims was a 60-year-old man found in a pasture on Tuesday, while another, 93-year-old May Doi, was discovered on Monday attempting to escape floodwaters and reach a nearby shelter. Doi, a former kindergarten teacher, was a well-respected figure in the community who had taught generations of students.
Now west of Hawaii's main islands, Hurricane Lala had reached major Category 3 strength with top sustained winds of 115 mph (185 kph) on Wednesday, marking the first major hurricane of 2026 in the Central Pacific Ocean.
Written by urgent.news from Associated Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
