Hawaii Dodges First Hurricane Landfall Since 1869, but Lala Still Turns Deadly

Hurricane Lala weakened to a tropical storm after passing the Big Island's southern tip on August 16, narrowly averting Hawaii's first direct hurricane landfall in 155 years. Still, Governor Josh Green confirmed one fatality in South Point, where over 100 homes were destroyed. Flash floods swept houses off foundations in Na'alehu and Wai'ohinu. Over 200,000 customers lost power across three islands; three hospitals ran on generators. The storm showed how Hawaii's volcanic terrain amplifies wind and rainfall beyond what a cyclone's category suggests.