HONOLULU — Category 1 Hurricane Lala brushed past Hawaii’s Big Island on Sunday with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph, bringing heavy rain, high winds and widespread disruption across the island chain.
State and local officials said one person died in a rain-slick traffic accident near South Point on the Big Island. In the Naalehu area, fast-moving floodwaters swept away two homes, while more than 124,000 homes and businesses across Hawaii lost power.
The storm did not make a direct landfall, but its outer bands caused severe damage across the Big Island. Hilo and Kona international airports were temporarily shut down, and major commercial harbors on the Big Island and Maui County were closed. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park received more than 20 inches of rain, and gusts of 140 mph were reported at the summit of Mauna Kea.
Gov. Joe Green declared a state of emergency and sent more than 180 National Guard troops to help with recovery and relief efforts. Officials also warned of additional heavy rain and possible landslides on Maui, Oahu and Kauai, urging residents to stay cautious as the storm continued to affect nearby islands.
