Hurricane Lala intensifies, bringing heavy rain and power outages to Hawaii

Hurricane Lala has intensified to a Category 1 storm just off the coast of Hawaii, bringing severe weather conditions including heavy rainfall, flash floods, and widespread power outages to the islands. The storm's center, packing sustained winds of up to 120 kilometers per hour, is expected to pass over or near the southern tip of the Big Island.

On the Big Island, residents are already experiencing the storm's impact. Over 9,700 customers are without electricity, and numerous roads are impassable due to fallen trees, debris, and landslides. The mayor of Hawaii County, Kimo Alameda, warned that the worst effects are anticipated between midday and early afternoon, urging residents to prepare for the potential dangers.

Transportation and public services have been significantly disrupted. Public transit on the Big Island has been suspended, and parks and beaches are closed. Flights to and from Hilo Airport have been canceled for the remainder of the day, and Kona Airport is scheduled to close in the afternoon. Dozens of inter-island and mainland flights have also been affected.

Forecasters are particularly concerned about the extreme rainfall expected, with predictions of 25 to 50 centimeters of rain on the windward sides of the Big Island, and potentially more in localized areas. This raises the threat of dangerous flash floods and landslides. A storm surge is also anticipated along the east coast of the Big Island. Warnings are in effect for other islands as well, including Maui, Oahu, and Kauai, which are expected to experience strong winds and heavy rainfall.

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The worst is yet to come.