Hurricane Lala weakened to a tropical storm on Sunday after its eyewall passed close to Hawaii’s Big Island without making landfall, but continued to batter the island chain with hurricane-force gusts and heavy rain.
At least one person died in a vehicle crash in the South Point area of the Big Island, Governor Josh Green said on Saturday. Lala had reached hurricane strength that day, generating winds of 80mph (130km/h) that later peaked at 91mph, Ada Derana reported, with officials warning residents to prepare for life-threatening flooding and mudslides.
Honolulu takes the brunt
By Sunday morning the worst conditions had shifted west to Honolulu. The city’s fire department had responded to dozens of weather-related callouts by 2am, including 58 downed trees, 39 blown-off roofs and 12 downed power lines, AP reported.
Power outages peaked at more than 200,000 homes and businesses before falling below 60,000 by 9.30am local time. At least three hospitals were running on generators, the governor said.
Much of the state remained under a flash flood warning, though the Big Island was downgraded to a flood advisory. “Basically, the best thing to do right now is just stay home for a bit longer,” National Weather Service meteorologist Stephen Parker said, citing mudslides, flooding and downed power lines as the main threats.
Rainfall totals climb
Rain totals reached nearly three feet (one metre) in places, with higher-altitude areas of the Big Island around Mauna Kea recording as much as 35 inches (89cm) — well beyond the 25 inches Ada Derana reported forecasters had initially expected. The strongest gusts, above 100mph (161km/h), were recorded on Mauna Kea itself.
As of 8am Sunday, Lala was centred about 65 miles (105km) southwest of Honolulu and moving northwest at about 14mph, National Hurricane Center Director Michael Brennan said. Tropical storm warnings covered Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe, Oahu, Kauai and Niihau.
Forecasters expect Lala to regain hurricane strength in the middle of the week once it is well west of the islands.
