Story perspectives

Hurricane Lala Flooding Traps Up to 2,500 Residents

8/19/2026

Summary

Governor Green Responds

Highway collapse on Hawaii’s Big Island trapped up to 2,500 residents as Hurricane Lala flooding surged.
Governor Josh Green reported that a 90-year-old woman died in Naalehu.
Hawaiian Electric restored power to roughly 200,000 customers, leaving about 104,000 still without electricity on Monday.
Six bridges in Ka‘u were destroyed or nearly destroyed.
Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi said crews performed about 160 ocean rescues and treated three injured while repairing roofs.

Summary

Scientists Link El Niño

Scientists say the 2026 Super El Niño raised Pacific sea temperatures over two degrees Celsius, intensifying Hurricane Lala.
NOAA listed Lala as only the fifth hurricane since 1957 to pass within 70 miles of the Big Island.
The storm produced rare snowfall on Maunakea’s summit, an unusual occurrence for a tropical cyclone.
Mauna Kea recorded a 154 mph gust, showing high elevations amplified Lala’s winds.

Summary

Schools Reopen

Public schools on Kaua‘i, Maui, Molokai and Lana‘i will reopen on Aug. 18 after inspections and utility checks.
All state courts except Hawai‘i Island’s 3rd Circuit will reopen Tuesday, with Kaua‘i’s 5th Circuit resuming as planned.
Hurricane shelters shifted from eight schools to three city parks, serving the 247 residents who sought refuge.

History

Historical Context

In 1992 Hurricane Iniki struck Kauai and Oahu as a Category 4 storm, causing $3 billion in damage and prompting Governor John Waihee’s emergency declaration. The event helped drive FEMA’s revised coastal-zone planning and Hawaii’s modern shelter network. It foreshadowed a national trend—five of the ten costliest U.S. hurricanes have occurred since 1990 as billion-dollar storms doubled from the 1980s to the 2010s.

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Governor Green Responds

Highway collapse on Hawaii’s Big Island trapped up to 2,500 residents as Hurricane Lala flooding surged.
Governor Josh Green reported that a 90-year-old woman died in Naalehu.
Hawaiian Electric restored power to roughly 200,000 customers, leaving about 104,000 still without electricity on Monday.
Six bridges in Ka‘u were destroyed or nearly destroyed.
Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi said crews performed about 160 ocean rescues and treated three injured while repairing roofs.

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