Hurricane Lala Weakens to Tropical Storm, Leaving 130,000 Without Power in Hawaii

Hurricane Lala weakened to a tropical storm after grazing Hawaii's Big Island, leaving nearly 130,000 customers without power. The outages primarily affected the Big Island, Honolulu County, and Maui County. Hawaiian Electric warned customers that hurricane-force winds, rain, flooded roads, and downed trees complicated repair efforts. Officials confirmed one person died in a car accident linked to the storm, and two homes were swept away by flash floods, according to Reuters.

Despite being downgraded, Lala's maximum sustained winds reached 112 kilometers per hour, just below hurricane strength. The National Hurricane Center continued to issue warnings for life-threatening conditions. The storm had previously reached peak sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour, classifying it as a Category 1 hurricane. The impact highlights the vulnerability of the islands to severe weather events and the ongoing challenges in restoring essential services.