Tropical Storm Lala batters Hawaii with hurricane-force gusts, heavy rain

Tropical Storm Lala battered Hawaii's Big Island with hurricane-force gusts and drenching rain Sunday, even after weakening from its hurricane status. The storm's passage caused widespread power outages, affecting over 130,000 households, and at least three hospitals operated on generator power.

Governor Josh Green reported at least one fatality in a car accident on the Big Island. More critically, a search-and-rescue mission was launched for residents of Na'alehu and Wai'ohinu, where flash floods reportedly swept occupied homes from their foundations. Hawaii County Mayor Kimo Alameda described the challenging conditions, citing rushing water, debris, and darkness.

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There have been a lot of roads impacted, our crews have already been out to more than 30 sites.

While Lala skirted the islands without making landfall, its impact was severe. Powerful waves pounded the coast, and relentless rain caused waterways to swell. Tropical storm warnings remained in effect for multiple islands as the storm tracked westward, with forecasters predicting it could regain hurricane strength midweek. Some higher elevations on the Big Island were expected to receive up to 35 inches of rain, raising concerns about landslides.

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What makes this very challenging is that there's rushing water, there's debris, and there's boulders on the road and it's dark.