Homes destroyed by mudslide brought by Lala on Hawaii's Big Island

Residents on Hawaii's Big Island are grappling with the aftermath of Tropical Storm Lala, which unleashed torrential rain and devastating mudslides over the weekend. In the small community of Waiohinu, located on the island's southern tip, approximately a dozen homes were swept away by a mudslide.

"The boulders that were coming down were so heavy they were like shaking the ground," said resident Alice Birnbaum, who noted that news crews were the first outsiders she had seen since the storm passed. Birnbaum highlighted the urgent need for basic supplies, stating, "We need water. We need, people need propane, people need gas, people need food."

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The boulders that were coming down were so heavy they were like shaking the ground.

The storm, whose eye passed just 30 miles off the Big Island's coast, brought wind gusts exceeding 80 mph and rainfall totals of over 3 feet in some areas. Kapalua in Maui County recorded an astonishing 48 inches of rain. As of Monday, more than 100,000 customers remained without power across the Hawaiian Islands. Bridges have been washed away on the Big Island, isolating several communities.

With emergency services unable to reach many areas, Waiohinu residents have been forced to depend on one another for survival. One resident recounted how a family, including a young child, narrowly escaped their home just before it was destroyed. State and county offices, schools, and courts were closed on Monday as the cleanup and assessment of damage continue.

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We need water. We need, people need propane, people need gas, people need food.