Hurricane Lala was linked to its first fatality on Monday after a search team in Nāʻālehu found the body of a 90-year-old woman in a nearby field, according to Gov. Josh Green. The kūpuna had been reported missing, and crews had been looking for her as state and county officials assessed storm damage in Kaʻū.
Temporary Hawaiʻi County Fire Chief Daniel Volpe said the woman was the only person known to be missing as of Monday. Her name has not been released pending notification of family. Green said the woman may have become disoriented during heavy rains, which swelled rivers and sent floodwaters through Nāʻālehu, Waiʻōhinu and Pāhala.
Police Chief Reed Mahuna said investigators do not suspect foul play and will complete a full review to confirm the cause. “We don’t believe it is anything other than a result of the disaster at this time,” he said.
Hurricane Lala impacts and response
Volpe said county fire crews have been conducting welfare checks and contacting residents across impacted areas. Aside from the elderly woman who died, he said there were no reports of people trapped or unable to leave their homes.
Hawaiʻi Adjutant General Stephen Logan said about 240 Hawaiʻi National Guard soldiers and airmen have been activated statewide, including roughly 60 on Hawaiʻi island. Guard members have been going door to door in Nāʻālehu to check on families and identify anyone unaccounted for.
Hawaiian Electric reported widespread outages Monday afternoon. On the Big Island, about 39,730 customers remained without power as of 2:30 p.m., largely in Puna, North and South Kona, North and South Kohala, Hāmākua and South Hilo. Crews continued assessments, including helicopter inspections of six transmission lines. About 56,800 customers on Oʻahu and 7,450 on Maui were also without electricity.
Emergency communications were also disrupted. The 911 system on the Big Island was down for much of Monday due to storm impacts on radio and phone networks, but service was restored around 4 p.m., the county reported.
Roads clearing, bridges to be tested
Green and Hawaiʻi County Mayor Kimo Alameda said floodwaters from Hurricane Lala left heavy mud, downed trees and debris on bridges and roadways, though initial fears about severe structural damage appear to have eased. State, county and private crews worked through Sunday and Monday to clear key routes, and early checks suggest some bridges may be in better condition than expected.
Debris removal is ongoing and bridges will undergo safety testing before full reopening. “We don’t think the community will remain isolated for long,” Green said, adding that agencies remain fully engaged.
State and county offices and public schools on Hawaiʻi island will stay closed Tuesday due to outages and blocked access in some areas, Green said. Schools elsewhere in the state were expected to reopen. He cautioned that campuses in Nāʻālehu and Kaʻū could remain closed longer because of local storm damage.
Community support grows in Kaʻū
Green described the visit to Kaʻū as emotional, noting he once practiced medicine there and reconnected with many former patients. He said residents are “bruised” and need assistance, urging donations to organizations such as the American Red Cross and Hawaiʻi Community Foundation.
Grassroots efforts were visible across the district. In Hawaiian Ocean View Estates, neighbors gathered at Ocean View Market, where Tim Field of Kaʻū Radio set up a Starlink hotspot and helped residents get online to contact loved ones. “When there are no communications, people panic,” Field said. “I wanted people to be able to say firsthand, ‘Yes, I’m okay.’”
Kumu hula Kahi Young organized a helicopter supply drop to Pāhala and called for volunteers to aid households cut off from basic needs. Some parts of Kaʻū were under a precautionary boil-water advisory on Monday.
Green said recovery is underway, but needs remain significant. “People are already beginning to recover, but it’s tough. They still need water. They still need power,” he said. For more on the storm’s development, see How Climate Change Is Influencing Tropical Storm Lala.
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