Hurricane Lala weakens to a tropical storm, but flooding persists in Hawaii
✓The devastating hurricane grazes the Big Island in Hawaii in the US, but avoids making landfall.
Hurricane Lala has weakened from a Category 1 hurricane to a tropical storm after passing south of Hawaii, but meteorologists warned that hurricane-force gusts could still batter the islands with punishing winds accompanied by flash flooding.
On Saturday, the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) issued a hurricane warning for the Big Island, which has not experienced a direct hurricane landfall in 155 years.
But as tropical storm winds swept west from Maui to Oahu and Kauai on Sunday, Hurricane Lala drifted past, edging the Hawaiian coast and just avoiding primary impact zones.
Still, pounding waves crashed against the shore of the Big Island. Wild squalls bent tall palm trees and fierce sideways rain swelled rivers.
Up to one metre (three feet) of rain was expected on higher windward slopes. Such a torrent could turn rivers into turbulent floods and cause life-threatening mudslides. The NHC said in an advisory published early on Sunday morning that rainfall totals could even reach up to 90cm (35 inches) in some areas of the Big Island.
Almost 130,000 utility customers lost power, Reuters reported. Hawaiian Electric warned customers on Saturday evening that hurricane-force winds and rain hampered repair efforts, citing flooded roadways and downed trees. Three hospitals had already switched to generator power, Hawaii’s Governor Josh Green said.
At least one person died in a car accident in the South Point area of the Big Island, while 19 roofs were lost in the “enormous storm”.
Christine Matsuda, who lives in Waimea on the northern side of the island, told the Associated Press that “big gusts every few minutes rattle the whole house”.
Tropical storm warnings remain active for Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe, Oahu, Kauai and Niihau.
Dire conditions continue to lash the Hawaiian coast as monster waves drive coastal erosion and severe flooding plagues communities across the US state. The westward-moving storm has raised fears among residents about heavy flooding and strong winds that could help spark wildfires in the Aloha State.
Read the full story at Al Jazeera ↗ · BBC ↗
The devastating hurricane grazes the Big Island in Hawaii in the US, but avoids making landfall
This lens runs the verified story through Cinnamon's AI — wired in the next step.
The devastating hurricane grazes the Big Island in Hawaii in the US, but avoids making landfall.
Hurricane Lala has weakened from a Category 1 hurricane to a tropical storm after passing south of Hawaii, but meteorologists warned that hurricane-force gusts could still batter the islands with punishing winds accompanied by flash flooding.
On Saturday, the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) issued a hurricane warning for the Big Island, which has not experienced a direct hurricane landfall in 155 years.
But as tropical storm winds swept west from Maui to Oahu and Kauai on Sunday, Hurricane Lala drifted past, edging the Hawaiian coast and just avoiding primary impact zones.
Still, pounding waves crashed against the shore of the Big Island. Wild squalls bent tall palm trees and fierce sideways rain swelled rivers.
Up to one metre (three feet) of rain was expected on higher windward slopes. Such a torrent could turn rivers into turbulent floods and cause life-threatening mudslides. The NHC said in an advisory published early on Sunday morning that rainfall totals could even reach up to 90cm (35 inches) in some areas of the Big Island.
Almost 130,000 utility customers lost power, Reuters reported. Hawaiian Electric warned customers on Saturday evening that hurricane-force winds and rain hampered repair efforts, citing flooded roadways and downed trees. Three hospitals had already switched to generator power, Hawaii’s Governor Josh Green said.
At least one person died in a car accident in the South Point area of the Big Island, while 19 roofs were lost in the “enormous storm”.
Christine Matsuda, who lives in Waimea on the northern side of the island, told the Associated Press that “big gusts every few minutes rattle the whole house”.
Tropical storm warnings remain active for Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe, Oahu, Kauai and Niihau.
Dire conditions continue to lash the Hawaiian coast as monster waves drive coastal erosion and severe flooding plagues communities across the US state. The westward-moving storm has raised fears among residents about heavy flooding and strong winds that could help spark wildfires in the Aloha State.
Read the full story at Al Jazeera ↗ · BBC ↗
The devastating hurricane grazes the Big Island in Hawaii in the US, but avoids making landfall.
Hurricane Lala has weakened from a Category 1 hurricane to a tropical storm after passing south of Hawaii, but meteorologists warned that hurricane-force gusts could still batter the islands with punishing winds accompanied by flash flooding.
On Saturday, the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) issued a hurricane warning for the Big Island, which has not experienced a direct hurricane landfall in 155 years.
But as tropical storm winds swept west from Maui to Oahu and Kauai on Sunday, Hurricane Lala drifted past, edging the Hawaiian coast and just avoiding primary impact zones.
Still, pounding waves crashed against the shore of the Big Island. Wild squalls bent tall palm trees and fierce sideways rain swelled rivers.
Up to one metre (three feet) of rain was expected on higher windward slopes. Such a torrent could turn rivers into turbulent floods and cause life-threatening mudslides. The NHC said in an advisory published early on Sunday morning that rainfall totals could even reach up to 90cm (35 inches) in some areas of the Big Island.
Almost 130,000 utility customers lost power, Reuters reported. Hawaiian Electric warned customers on Saturday evening that hurricane-force winds and rain hampered repair efforts, citing flooded roadways and downed trees. Three hospitals had already switched to generator power, Hawaii’s Governor Josh Green said.
At least one person died in a car accident in the South Point area of the Big Island, while 19 roofs were lost in the “enormous storm”.
Christine Matsuda, who lives in Waimea on the northern side of the island, told the Associated Press that “big gusts every few minutes rattle the whole house”.
Tropical storm warnings remain active for Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe, Oahu, Kauai and Niihau.
Dire conditions continue to lash the Hawaiian coast as monster waves drive coastal erosion and severe flooding plagues communities across the US state. The westward-moving storm has raised fears among residents about heavy flooding and strong winds that could help spark wildfires in the Aloha State.
Read the full story at Al Jazeera ↗ · BBC ↗
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- The devastating hurricane grazes the Big Island in Hawaii in the US, but avoids making landfall