Hurricane Lala skirted Hawaii’s Big Island Saturday without making landfall, bringing strong winds and heavy rain that flooded roads and turned rivers into raging torrents.
Storm Details
The possibility of a direct hit faded as the eye of the storm passed the island’s southern tip. Hurricane-force winds are expected to continue into the overnight hours, with the strongest wind gusts likely in areas of higher terrain.
Gov. Josh Green reported at least one person died in a car accident in the South Point area of the Big Island, while 19 roofs were lost and 190 flights were postponed. Residents were advised to stay home and not venture out on the roads.
Preparations and Response
Residents prepared for the worst, with some stocking up on supplies and others readying their homes for the storm. Bobby Camara, a 75-year-old lifelong resident, planned to hunker down and hope the lights didn’t go out.
Mike Caputo, a local fire captain, had his power generator ready and a 10,000-gallon home water tank full. He expressed concern about flash flooding and fallen trees, particularly albizia trees, which can make roads impassable.
Original reporting: Richardson, TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
