Crews are working to restore power to thousands of Hawaii residents following the weekend passage of Tropical Storm Lala, which brought destructive flooding and led to one death before weakening. The storm's outer bands battered the archipelago over the weekend.
On the Big Island, crews are focused on clearing and restoring roads. Most public schools across Hawaii have reopened, though non-emergency operations in Hawaii County remain suspended.
The storm has since moved west and is forecast to turn north toward the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument. Hawaiian Electric reported significant damage, particularly in remote areas, with crews working overnight to restore electricity to thousands on the Big Island, Maui, and Oahu. In Maui's upcountry region, numerous large trees fell, toppling power lines and damaging infrastructure.
Hawaii County Mayor Kimo Alameda stated Monday that roads are being cleared, debris is being removed, and communities, while impacted, remain resilient. Officials confirmed one fatality: a 90-year-old woman who had been reported missing in Naalehu and was found deceased on Monday.
In the hardest-hit southern areas of the Big Island, some communities were isolated and experienced communication outages. Floodwaters disturbed several grave sites. While water service has been restored to customers in Pāhala, a boil water notice remains in effect as a precaution.
Gov. Josh Green indicated Monday that the overall damage was not as severe as initially feared, and recovery is expected to proceed at a steady pace.