HONOLULU: More than 180,000 customers remained without electricity across Hawaii after Hurricane Lala brought damaging winds and severe flooding before weakening into a tropical storm.
Hawaii is the 50th US state, a volcanic island chain in the central Pacific, exposed to extreme weather, including hurricanes, tropical storms, flash floods, droughts, wildfires and volcanic hazards.
Around 183,123 customers were without power by Sunday afternoon, while outages on Oahu, Hawaii’s most populated island, had fallen to about 130,000 from more than 220,000 earlier, officials said.
Hawaii Governor Josh Green said authorities had received reports of at least 100 homes damaged.
Lala was moving west-southwest toward southwest Kauai County at around 20 mph, with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph, according to the National Hurricane Centre.
A tropical storm warning remained in effect for Kauai County, while warnings for Maui and Oahu were discontinued. Forecasters said the storm was expected to move clear of the Hawaiian islands by Monday morning if it maintained its projected path.
Severe flooding hits Hawaii
Hurricane-force winds toppled trees and heavy rainfall flooded roads, complicating efforts to restore electricity, according to Hawaiian Electric.
Officials described flash flooding in parts of the state as exceptionally severe, while footage released by the Hawaii Department of Transportation showed floodwaters covering roads.
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Two homes were swept away during the storm, according to the National Weather Service.
At least one person was reported dead in a vehicle-related incident as authorities urged residents to remain indoors and avoid unnecessary travel.
Around 117 people were staying in emergency shelters on Sunday morning.
Hawaii’s airports have reopened following the disruption, although authorities advised passengers to contact airlines before travelling.
Emergency crews continued damage assessments and restoration work as Lala moved away from the islands.
