Hurricane Lala Leaves 42,889 Without Power in Hawaii

Hurricane Lala strengthened into a Category 1 storm on August 15, 2026, with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 km/h). More than 42,000 utility customers lost power in Hawaii, with 31,792 outages on the Big Island and 7,203 in Maui County as of 2:14 p.m. HST. Forecasters warned of possible rain accumulations of 10 to 20 inches on the Big Island, leading to life-threatening flooding and mudslides in steep areas. The impact of Hurricane Lala highlights the vulnerability of utility infrastructure during severe weather, which could affect restoration efforts for local residents.