Multiple outlets including Hawaii News Now, Hawaii Public Radio, and Yahoo News reported on the aftermath of Hurricane Lala, which struck Maui over the weekend causing widespread power outages, structural damage, and agricultural losses. Power has been fully restored to Maui customers, but upcountry communities like Haiku and Olinda Road saw significant destruction to homes, farms, and infrastructure. A second system, Tropical Depression Two-C, has since formed and is expected to bring additional rainfall to the state this weekend.
- Hawaiian Electric restored power to ‘essentially all customers’ on Maui following outages that affected approximately 200,000 customers statewide during Hurricane Lala.
- About 13,000 Big Island customers remained without power as of August 21, with full restoration expected by Friday except in remote or severely damaged areas.
- A Haiku family of five narrowly escaped injury when Hurricane Lala tore off part of their roof and collapsed the ceiling of their multi-generational home on Awalau Road; black mold is now spreading through the water-damaged structure. (Hawaii News Now)
- Upcountry Maui residents described storm damage as ‘apocalyptic,’ with forests leveled and power lines downed across areas including Olinda Road.
- Maui Grown Tomatoes, a Haiku-area farm producing roughly 50,000 pounds of tomatoes annually, lost a greenhouse cover, 500 pepper plants, avocado trees, and banana trees in the storm. (Hawaii Public Radio)
- Tropical Depression Two-C formed on August 21 and is forecast to pass south of the Hawaiian Islands this weekend, bringing additional heavy rain, particularly to the Big Island.
- HECO has repaired 43 of 61 damaged transmission lines statewide; work on electrical systems continues across all islands.
Sources
- Hawaii News Now: Maui family displaced after Hurricane Lala destroys multi-generational home
- Yahoo: HECO: Power back for all Oahu, Maui customers; 13,000 without service on Big Isle
- Hawaii Public Radio: ‘Just devastating’: Upcountry Maui residents and businesses battered by Hurricane Lala
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