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By Amanda Greenwood and Hollie Silverman
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Hurricane Lala brought damaging winds, torrential rain and widespread power outages to Hawaii over the weekend, as forecasters warned of life-threatening flooding, landslides and dangerous surf conditions across multiple islands.
The storm strengthened into a hurricane on Saturday, reaching maximum sustained winds of 75 mph as it passed near Hawaii Island, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).
Lala’s Forecasted Track Over The Next Few Days
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According to the NHC, Lala is expected to continue tracking westward across the island chain, bringing heavy rainfall and tropical-storm-force winds to Maui County, Oahu and Kauai.
Forecasters from the NHC have predicted between 10 and 20 inches of rain across parts of The Big Island, with isolated totals reaching 25 inches, while eastern Maui could receive between 8 and 12 inches.
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Officials warned that the rainfall could trigger life-threatening flash flooding and mudslides, particularly in mountainous terrain.
The Weather Channel's latest hurricane tracker shows the storm moving west-northwest across the state after passing near the Big Island, with impacts expected to continue into Sunday.
Strong winds have already caused significant damage.
On Hawaii Island's Hamakua Coast, trees toppled onto power infrastructure, knocking down multiple utility poles and damaging a 42-mile stretch of transmission lines. Wind gusts approaching 90 mph were reported in some areas, while on the top of Mauna Kea, forecasters recorded a maximum wind speed of up to 154 mph, according to The Weather Channel.
Transportation was also disrupted. The Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) closed Hilo International Airport and temporarily shut commercial ports on Hawaii Island, Maui County and Kauai as conditions deteriorated. Flooding, downed trees and impassable roads were reported across several districts on Hawaii Island, including Hilo, Puna, Hamakua and Ka'u.
Emergency shelters were opened across affected islands, while local officials urged residents to stay off roads and avoid floodwaters and downed power lines. Hawaii County officials reported multiple rescues from stranded vehicles as heavy rain continued to fall.
Authorities have confirmed at least one storm-related death after a car crash near South Point on Hawaii Island. Flash flooding also destroyed two homes in Naalehu as torrential rainfall inundated the Kaʻū District. Gov. Josh Green said state agencies had mobilized personnel and resources across Hawaii as the storm moved through the islands. "Hurricane Lala is now impacting our state, and the safety of our people remains our highest priority," Green said in a statement. "National Guard, law enforcement, transportation, health and emergency personnel are working around the clock, with resources positioned statewide to support our communities."
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HECO Power Outages
The Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO), reported widespread outages across its five-island service territory as hurricane-force winds damaged transmission and distribution infrastructure.
By Sunday morning, more than 197,000 customers were without power across the entire state, making it one of the biggest outage events Hawaii has experienced in recent years.
The outages included approximately 58,000 customers on Hawaii Island, 28,700 in Maui County, and 110,700 on Oahu, according to the latest update from HECO.
The hardest-hit areas included the east and south sides of Hawaii Island, Waimea and Honokaa, while all of West Maui and parts of Upcountry and South Maui also lost electricity.
On Oahu, outages affected neighborhoods including Aina Haina, Kaimuki, Kalihi, Mapunapuna, Manoa and Nuuanu.
HECO said restoration efforts have been hampered by dangerous weather conditions, flooding and fallen trees. In its most recent press release, it said: “For the safety of crews and the public, restoration work has to halt when the weather gets too dangerous. On Hawaii Island, hazardous conditions on the roadways such as flooding and downed trees have also prompted the Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency to ask crews to stay off the roads.”
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The utility also warned customers to prepare for extended outages lasting overnight and potentially longer, particularly in areas where major transmission infrastructure was damaged.
HECO asked that residents and businesses conserve energy until 10 p.m. local time as workers aim to restore service.
"Energy conservation by the public can help ensure sufficient power is available to meet demand. Suggested steps include turning off or lessening use of air conditioners, delaying hot showers, laundry, dishwashing activities, and minimizing cooking until later in the evening," the utility said in a press release.
On Maui, utility officials specifically warned that customers should prepare for prolonged overnight outages because severe winds prevented damage assessments from beginning on key transmission lines serving West Maui. Meanwhile, repairs on Hawaii Island could take additional time because crews first need to inspect the 42-mile transmission corridor damaged by fallen trees and collapsed structures.
HECO said more than 63,188 customers had already been restored by Sunday morning and that mutual-aid crews from outside Hawaii are expected to assist restoration efforts once storm conditions improve. However, the company has not yet provided a statewide estimate for full restoration, saying the timeline depends on weather, damage assessments and safe access to affected areas.
The utility said additional crews are expected to arrive for assistance with restoration on Tuesday.
Newsweek has contacted HECO via email, asking for an update.
As Hurricane Lala continues its westward track, emergency managers are urging residents across the Hawaiian Islands to remain sheltered, monitor official forecasts and prepare for additional flooding, high surf and power disruptions through the weekend.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Ben Kelly and Cristina Diciu.
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