What you need to know about Hurricane Lala recovery: Officials closely watching new tropical disturbance southeast of Hawaiian Islands
Hawaiian Electric restored about 2,600 Big Island customers Wednesday in sections of Puna, North and South Kohala, North and South Hilo and Hāmākua with about 14,400 customers on the island remain without power; medical doctors will be available later today at Nāʻālehu Elementary School; plus additional updates.
9 hours ago
Information will be updated regularly.
Officials are closely watching a tropical disturbance located well to the southeast of the Hawaiian Islands that was producing showers and thunderstorms as well as continued signs of further organization.
National Hurricane Center says environmental conditions are favorable for that system to develop into a tropical depression or storm as early as today as it moves west-northwest and crosses into the Central Pacific, toward the islands.
Residents and other stakeholders in Hawai’i should closely monitor the progress of this system, and while it is too early to determine the track, intensity, magnitude or potential impact of what is now known as Invest 90E, Big Island residents should — for the second time in less than 2 weeks — prepare for a possible tropical cyclone and severe weather.
Invest 90E will be named once it reaches tropical storm strength of winds 39 mph or greater.
If that happens in the Central Pacific, it will be named “Moke,” a commonly used direct equivalent to the name “Moses” in historical Hawaiian records and family genealogies. If it forms while still in the East Pacific, it would mean the return of “Iselle” — the same name of the hurricane/tropical storm that devastated portions of the Big Island in August 2014.
Meanwhile, relief efforts continue following destruction on the Big Island caused by Hurricane Lala.
Here is what you need to know Wednesday.
Help from Washington
U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz, a Hawaiʻi Democrat, announced Wednesday that U.S. Department of Transportation approved an initial $6 million in emergency relief “quick release” funds to help Hawaiʻi repair transportation infrastructure damaged by Hurricane Lala.
Updates from Hawaiʻi County
Monitoring tropical disturbance
Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense and National Weather Service are closely monitoring the tropical disturbance southeast of the islands that could develop into something more serious. They also urge residents to prepare now, especially since recovery continues from Hurricane Lala.
9-1-1 for emergencies only
If you are in a life-threatening emergency, call 9-1-1. For all other storm-related needs, go online and fill out a request for assistance or call Civil Defense at 808-935-0031.
Donations
Anyone who wants to supply donations can text or call Vibrant Hawaiʻi’s donation line at 802-365-1808. Anyone who wants to make monetary donations can click here to visit the Hawaiʻi Island Strong Fund web page on the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation website. The fund was established to support Big Island relief efforts.
Medical doctors availability
Medical doctors will be available from 2 to 6 p.m. Aug. 20 in the Nāʻālehu Elementary School gymnasium.
Public Safety
Fire, police and National Guard personnel continue to conduct welfare and accountability checks in affected areas. This will continue until everyone is accounted for.
Infrastructure
Hawaiian Electric and State Highways along with county departments of Public Works and Water Supply continue emergency repairs and debris removal.
A task force is using all available resources to take care of the remains from Waiʻōhinu and Nāʻālehu cemeteries. All cultural protocols will be observed during this process.
County water service
A precautionary boil water notice for tap water was issued Wednesday by Hawaiʻi County Department of Water Supply for its Waiʻōhinu-Nāʻālehu customers after the department began pumping its Nāʻālehu well with an emergency generator, with a very limited portion of waterlines to have water.
Water also was restored to Pāhala; however, as a precaution, residents are asked to boil water before use.
Hawaiʻi County Department of Water Supply continues to work closely with Hawaiian Electric to restore normal power to impacted water facilities.
Customers in the areas still not restored continue to be asked to use water for essential uses only, including drinking, cooking or personal hygiene, until power can be fully restored.
Potable water tankers or temporary spigots are available for customers at the following locations:
- Kalapana: Near intersection of Chain of Craters Road and ʻĀhia Road.
- Pāpaʻikou: Spigots located mauka/Hāmākua side of Highway 19, across from Kimura General Store.
- Kaloko Mauka: Spigots located at Kaloko Mauka tank No. 2 below Hao Street.
- Nāʻālehu: Parking area across from Ace Hardware.
Potable water spigots in Ocean View also are back online and safe for domestic use.
Limit usage to essential potable needs only.
A map of permanent water spigots can be found at the Hawaiʻi County Department of Water Supply website under the “Community” drop down menu.
Call 808-961-8790 for emergencies.
Damage assessments
Initial damage assessments began Tuesday and will continue Wednesday. You can submit a damage report at the Hawai‘i County Civil Defense website or by calling Civil Defense at 935-0031.
Visit the Hawai‘i County Hazard Impact Map for additional information.
Other updates
- An emergency shelter at Nāʻālehu Elementary School gym remains open.
- Numerous county parks and facilities continue to be affected by power outages and storm damage. As a result, some will remain closed as of Wednesday and possibly longer. Click here for park closure information.
- Panaʻewa Rainforest Zoo and Gardens as well as Hilo Municipal Golf Course will be open Wednesday for normal operations.
- All Hele-on bus routes, except Routes 10, 12 and 90, resumed Tuesday.
- County transfer stations and landfills have reopened. Pāhala transfer station will reopen Wednesday. Waiʻōhinu transfer station will reopen following completion of cleanup.
- The community informational meeting scheduled for Aug. 20 about the planned closures of large capacity cesspools in Pāhala and Nāʻālehu is postponed because of the effects of Hurricane Lala. A new meeting date will be announced at a later date.
County officials urge the public to continue avoiding any unnecessary travel into Kaʻū to help quicken emergency response.
Hawaiian Electric
Hawaiʻi Island: Hawaiian Electric reported in an 8 p.m. Wednesday update that about 78% of impacted customers on the Big Island have been restored.
Crews on Wednesday restored about 2,600 customers in sections of Puna, North and South Kohala, North and South Hilo and Hāmākua. About 14,400 remain without power, with most continuing outages still in the Puna, North and South Kona, North and South Kohala, Hāmākua, North and South Hilo and Ka‘ū areas.
Crews continue to make repairs and restore power where possible, prioritizing critical facilities followed by neighborhoods.
However, new storm could delay ongoing restoration efforts. The potential storm is forecast to follow a similar path as Lala and could impact the state as early as this weekend.
Hawaiian Electric urges customers to review emergency plans, ensure they have supplies on hand and closely monitor weather updates.
Preparation and safety tips are available on the Hawaiian Electric website. Detailed tips also can be found in our Handbook for Emergency Preparedness.
Misinformation about filing claims
There is a lot of misinformation circulating about filing a claim after a power outage.
Hawaiian Electric is not liable for losses “caused by accident, storm, fire, strikes, riots, war, public safety power shutoff or any cause not within the company’s control through the exercise of reasonable diligence and care.”
Losses not covered include, but are not limited to, food spoilage and medication that requires refrigeration, etc.
More information about filing damage claims can be found on the Hawaiian Electric website.
Customers can call Hawaiian Electric’s Big Island Trouble Line at 1-855-304-9191 to report any downed power lines, which should always be treated as energized and dangerous. Call 9-1-1 for emergency assistance.
Customers also can sign up to receive emergency outage alerts.
Public schools
Nāʻālehu Elementary, Kaʻū High and Pāhala Elementary will be closed through at least Thursday as assessments continue.
Updates are being posted online.
Public libraries
The following Big Island public libraries remain closed: Laupāhoehoe, Nāʻālehu and Pāhala.
Patrons are encouraged to check the schedule at their local library and the Hawaiʻi State Public Library System website regularly for the latest updates.
All of the state’s public libraries also will be closed Aug. 21 in observance of Statehood Day.
Brown water advisory
A statewide brown water advisory remains in effect, as waters around the islands could contain higher than normal pollutant levels because of heavy rainfall during Hurricane/Tropical Storm Lala.
State health officials advise the public to avoid swimming, wading in or drinking water from any freshwater streams or ponds to prevent leptospirosis, a bacterial infection caused by the leptospira bacteria.
Hawaiʻi Department of Health also recommends staying out of affected waters for 48 to 72 hours after the rain stopped and the beach received full sunshine. Remember: If the water is brown, turn around.
For more information and updates, click here.
To report damage or if you need help?
If you sustained damage or, if you and your household are in need of help, as a result of Hurricane Lala, Civil Defense has a damage report and a Request for Assistance reporting portal on the County of Hawaii website or call Civil Defense at 808-935-0031
Residents in need of immediate assistance — such as food, clothing, debris removal, or shelter — from a coalition of nonprofits, businesses, and government agencies can complete a request for assistance form.
Click here to request other assistance.
Transfer stations and landfills
County transfer stations and landfills are open, except those in Pāhala, Wai‘ōhinu and Hawaiian Ocean View Estates, which are inaccessible.
To assist cleanup efforts, transfer stations in Waimea, Kealakehe and Keauhou are accepting green waste daily this week.
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park closures
Restrooms at Uēkahuna are not working. The Welcome Center and Hawaiʻi Pacific Parks Association are open, but with limited hours.
Crater Rim Trail West and Steam Vents are open. Park rangers and staff continue to assess trails, roads and other park destinations that will reopen when deemed safe.
Park campgrounds and the backcountry remain closed. Volcano Art Center Gallery is closed.
Kīlauea Military Camp is offering limited services to authorized patrons. Volcano House is closed to the public, but open to registered guests.
Visitors should expect very limited services. They also are advised to take their safety seriously. Stay alert, heed all closures and posted warnings and do not enter areas that appear unsafe.
Check the park website and official social media for updates.
Online resources
- Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency: https://dod.hawaii.gov/hiema/.
- Emergency Management Agency contacts: https://waihalana.hawaii.gov/ema-contacts/.
- More weather information: https://www.weather.gov/hfo.
- Storm-related park closure updates: Hawaiʻi State Parks web page.
Road closures
For an updated list of road closures, visit the Hawaiʻi County Hazard Map: Hazard Impact Map.
Banks
All Bank of Hawai‘i Big Island branches are open except the Kā‘u Branch.
