Hurricane Lala hits Hawaii, one death reported

One person is dead and tens of thousands are without power after Hurricane Lala lashed parts of Hawaii overnight, weakening slightly on Sunday, August 16, 2026, to a tropical storm. The storm, the first to form in the central Pacific this year, brushed just south of the Big Island on Saturday, August 15, with its core making its closest approach around 5 p.m. local time.

Governor Josh Green confirmed one fatality in a storm-related car accident on Saturday evening. At least 126,000 customers across the islands have lost power, with nearly 70 percent of the Big Island affected. The storm brought maximum sustained winds of 80 mph when it was nearest the island and dumped over 30 inches of rain in some areas, prompting a Flash Flood Emergency for Naalehu in Hawaii County. County Mayor Kimo Alameda stated that several occupied homes in Naalehu may have been swept off their foundations, triggering a search and rescue mission. Videos from the Big Island showed streets flooded by the torrential rainfall.

Lala did not make a direct landfall, but its impact was severe. At least 19 buildings lost their roofs, and a record number of road closures were reported due to downed trees, utility...