More than 180,000 without power in Hawaii, 100 homes damaged as Lala weakens to tropical storm

More than 180,000 utility customers remained without power across Hawaii on Sunday afternoon after Hurricane Lala grazed the Big Island before weakening to a tropical storm. As of 3:30 p.m., 183,123 customers statewide had lost electricity, according to poweroutage.us. On Oahu, the most populated island, outages decreased from over 220,000 to about 130,000 by Sunday morning, state officials reported.

Governor Josh Green stated Sunday that officials had received reports of at least 100 homes damaged. At 2 p.m., Lala was tracking west toward southwest Kauai County at approximately 20 mph, with maximum sustained winds near 65 mph, just shy of the 73 mph threshold for a hurricane. A tropical storm warning persisted for Kauai County, while warnings for Maui and Oahu counties were lifted earlier Sunday.

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It's not a day to go to the beach.

Hawaiian Electric had cautioned customers Saturday evening that repair efforts were hindered by hurricane-force winds toppling trees and flooding roadways. State officials described the flash floods brought by Lala as "like we've never seen." At least one death was reported in a car-related accident, and officials urged residents to stay indoors. Video from the Hawaii Department of Transportation showed floodwaters submerging roads, with the National Weather Service confirming two homes were swept away. About 117 people were in shelters as of Sunday morning.

All airports have reopened, but travelers are advised to check with their airlines for the latest updates. The storm was projected to be clear of Hawaii's islands by Monday morning if it maintained its expected path.

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like we've never seen