Hurricane Lala set its sights on Hawaii’s Big Island on Saturday, heading towards a potential landfall, marking the first direct hit from a hurricane on the island in 155 years. The National Hurricane Center reported that Lala’s maximum sustained winds intensified to 120 km/h, classifying it as a Category 1 hurricane. It was anticipated that the eyewall would pass over or near the island’s southern tip by evening, bringing its strongest winds to the volcanic slopes thousands of feet above sea level.
Forecasters warned that elevated areas on the island, primarily encompassing the towering Mauna Kea volcano, could experience up to 63.5 centimeters of rainfall, potentially triggering life-threatening mudslides in regions where residents live in makeshift dwellings off the grid. Urging swift action, authorities advised individuals to seek secure shelter promptly.
Bobby Camara, a lifelong 75-year-old resident of the Big Island, disclosed his plans to weather the storm at a care facility just outside Hilo, expressing his hopes for uninterrupted power supply. He noted a surge in activity at gas stations as locals sought fuel for chainsaws and vehicles, highlighting the common practice of stocking up on essentials in the region.
Describing the approaching storm as “enormous,” Hawaii Governor Josh Green cautioned about the risk of severe flooding and potential wildfires sparked by strong winds across the island chain. Notably, approximately 10% of customers on the Big Island experienced power outages, as reported by poweroutage.us.
Residents like Mike Caputo in Keaau, located near the east coast of the island, voiced concerns about flash floods and fallen trees, particularly the vulnerable albizia trees known for their immense size but weak structure. Taking precautions, Caputo, a 50-year-old local fire captain, ensured his trees were pruned in advance to prevent road blockages.
The Big Island was under a hurricane warning, with tropical storm warnings issued for several other islands in the region. According to historical records, a Category 3 hurricane struck the northeastern corner of the Big Island in 1871. The latest projections indicated that Hurricane Lala was poised to make landfall very close to the island’s southern tip, according to Vanessa Almanza, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Honolulu.
Precautionary measures were enforced, including the opening of shelters, cancellation of events, and advisories for ranchers to leave cattle in open pastures to avoid structural collapses. Emphasizing the potential impact, Almanza stressed that destructive outcomes could occur without the hurricane directly hitting land.
The hurricane center anticipated total rainfall ranging from 20.3 to 30.5 centimeters across Maui and lower elevations of the Big Island, with 10.2 to 15.2 centimeters forecasted for the entire island chain.
State Representative Jeanné Kapela urged the public to remain vigilant, particularly in the remote and rural southern region of the island, which has seen a rise in population due to affordability, posing risks for those residing off-grid. Concerns were also raised for farmers still recovering from previous floods and anticipating further agricultural losses.
As winds intensified across the islands, Almanza highlighted the heightened risk of wildfires due to dry and breezy conditions outside the storm’s core. Reminiscing on past incidents, residents like Archie Kalepa of Lahaina emphasized the importance of weather awareness following a destructive fire during extreme winds in 2023.
Reflecting on historical events, the island of Kauai, positioned northwest of the Big Island, recalled Hurricane Iniki’s devastating impact as a Category 4 storm in 1992 during an El Niño year. The catastrophic aftermath, including billions of dollars in damages and loss of lives, underscored the unpredictability and severity of such natural disasters.