Former Hurricane Lala Kills One, Destroys Homes and Cuts Power Across Hawaii's Big Island

Tropical storm Lala battered Hawaii's Big Island, killing one person, knocking out power for over 100,000, and triggering mudslides that destroyed homes.

Boulders shaking the ground preceded a mudslide that wiped out several homes on Hawaii's Big Island after former Hurricane Lala made landfall, bringing heavy rain, strong winds, and widespread destruction. The storm left one person dead and caused damage to at least 100 homes and bridges across the island. More than 100,000 residents lost power in the wake of the storm. Resident Alice Birnbaum described the mudslide to CBS News: 'The boulders that were coming down were so heavy they were like shaking the ground.' Lala had previously been classified as a hurricane before weakening to tropical storm status as it struck Hawaii. The Big Island, the largest and southernmost of the Hawaiian islands, is no stranger to extreme weather, but the scale of damage from Lala was notable.

Why it matters

The storm's destruction — including lost lives, wrecked infrastructure, and displaced residents — underscores the serious threat that tropical storms pose to Hawaiian communities. The damage to homes and bridges points to a potentially lengthy and costly recovery effort.

What's next

Authorities are assessing the full extent of damage to homes and infrastructure, with recovery and power restoration efforts ongoing across the Big Island.

Key facts

• One person was killed by the storm
• More than 100,000 people lost power on Hawaii's Big Island
• At least 100 homes and bridges were damaged
• Several homes were destroyed by a mudslide triggered by the storm
• Lala had previously been classified as a hurricane before weakening to tropical storm status
• Resident Alice Birnbaum described boulders shaking the ground during the mudslide

Bias & framing notes

Both sources covering the Hawaii storm agree on the core facts — one death, 100,000-plus without power, and damage to homes and bridges — though the CBS News report adds on-the-ground detail about the mudslide and direct resident testimony that the Guardian account did not include. The Guardian's headline use of 'wreaks devastation' in quotation marks is slightly more dramatic in framing than CBS News's more descriptive approach. Neither source provides an official government or emergency management statement.

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