Hurricane Lala devastates Ka‘ū District; damaged bridges block access to communities

All public schools, state and county offices, parks, courts and more are closed Monday on the Big Island.

There were no known storm-related deaths as a result of Hurricane Lala, but the storm did do a lot of infrastructure and personal property damage, Hawai‘i County officials said.

The high-wheeled vehicle team assisted with rescues, including a Hawai‘i County paramedic and EMT who had to climb to the roof of their ambulance Saturday night to escape flooding waters.

As Tropical Storm Lala continues to move farther away from the Big Island, there remains a flood advisory for the entire island with rain still falling.

Lala skirted South Point on Saturday, bringing with it sustained winds of 70 mph and rain turned small streams into raging rivers, smashing up roads, cutting off Green Sands Beach Subdivision.

Hawaiʻi Island police said it is unknown at this time if Hurricane Lala played a role in the collision.

Hawai‘i County Mayor Kimo Alameda posted an update about the developing situation in Nā‘ālehu and Wai‘ohinu, saying there is a joint search effort underway with Hawai‘i County Civil Defense, Fire and Police Departments, Public Works, Hawai‘i National Guard and the U.S. Coast Guard.

The Hawaiʻi Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Insurance Division offers a guide, resources for efficient insurance claim processing.

The restaurant food completed a list of nine corrective actions to pass a follow-up inspection.

On Saturday night, Hawai‘i County officials reported a slight increase in shelter numbers from 130 to 140, and there were around five rescues of people from vehicles that got stranded.

There once again is no lack of fun happening during events around the Big Island this weekend and beyond; however, it will be extremely prudent to call ahead before you go in case there are cancellations caused by the impending possible tropical cyclone in the forecast.

Kamehameha the Great, the first person to unite the warring islands into the Kingdom of Hawai’i, had the major temple built by thousands and thousands of men from 1790 to 1791.

There’s just 1 more week left to submit short screenplays and apply for a free annual workshop this fall, with a chance to win the ‘Ohina Greenlight Award — receiving support for their winning script to become a completed short film produced and filmed in Hawai‘i.

Participation is limited to the first 15 performances, with a maximum of three performances in each category each limited to 3 minutes; registration deadline is Aug. 22.

The unique variety of events happening during the next week around the Big Island features an array of culture, music, history, health, art and more.