Hurricane Lala Skirts Hawaii's Big Island; One Dead, Heavy Rain Lashes Region

Environment32 sourcesAug 16, 2026

BalancedFactual rigor 53/100

The Story

Hurricane Lala skirted Hawaii’s Big Island on Saturday without making landfall, lashing the region with fierce winds and heavy downpours that flooded roadways.

The storm is expected to weaken gradually as it moves westward. Governor Josh Green reported at least one person died in a car accident in the South Point area of the Big Island. He also stated 19 roofs were lost and 190 flights were postponed. The National Hurricane Center warned that hurricane-force winds would continue, with peak gusts likely across higher terrain, and heavy rainfall extending into Sunday could produce flooding and mudslides.

Tropical storm warnings remain in effect across the islands of Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe, Oahu, Kauai, and Niihau. Lala gained hurricane strength on Saturday, with maximum sustained winds reaching 75 mph, and later peaked at 91 mph. The storm came within 30 miles (48km) of South Point, its closest approach to the island. Forecasters said higher elevations on the Big Island, dominated by the Mauna Kea volcano, could receive as much as 25 inches (63.5 centimeters) of rain.

More than 40,000 utility customers across the state were without power, including 31,792 on the Big Island and 7,203 in Maui County. Hawaiian Electric warned of possible extended outages, potentially overnight. Utility crews were assessing a 42-mile (67.6 km) span of transmission lines on the Hamakua Coast after fallen trees knocked down multiple poles. The Hawaii Department of Transportation closed Hilo International Airport and Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole at 2 p.m. HST.

The department also closed the Hawaii Island, Maui County, and Kaua'i commercial ports. At Ellison Onizuka Kona International, 40% of flights were grounded, and 80% of flights were called off at Hilo International. The Big Island has a population of approximately 210,000. The last time a hurricane made landfall on Hawaii's Big Island was 155 years ago. Governor Green described Lala as an enormous storm, with tropical storm-force winds stretching outward up to 220 miles (350 km).

What they agree on

Hurricane Lala skirted Hawaii's Big Island on Saturday without making direct landfall, bringing fierce winds and heavy downpours.
Governor Josh Green confirmed at least one person died in a car accident in the South Point area of the Big Island due to the weather.
The National Hurricane Center issued warnings for hurricane-force winds, heavy rainfall, flooding, and mudslides across the region.
Over 40,000 utility customers across Hawaii, including more than 31,000 on the Big Island, experienced power outages.
Forecasters predicted higher elevations on the Big Island could receive up to 25 inches (63.5 centimeters) of rain.

Where they split

The Independent and BBC News lead with the reported death and the storm's impact on the Big Island, while CNBC and Newsmax focus more on the power outages and "life-threatening" conditions.
Some US major sources, like CNBC and New York Post, provide specific figures for power outages by island (e.g., 31,792 on Big Island, 7,203 in Maui County), a level of detail not consistently present in all international outlets.
The Japan News and The Epoch Times emphasize the strengthening of Lala into a hurricane and the rare threat of landfall, while later articles from Reuters and The Independent confirm it skirted the island without landfall.