What you need to know about Hurricane Lala recovery: Zephyr Insurance to open additional claim assistance centers next week on Big Island

Information will be updated regularly.

Relief efforts continue following destruction on the Big Island caused by Hurricane Lala.

Here is what you need to know Saturday.

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Updates from Hawaiʻi County

Flood waters

Health officials ask all residents of Hawaiʻi Island to stay out of flood waters and all standing water, as they pose a possible health threat.

Disaster Relief

Hawai‘i County Civil Defense Human Services branch is coordinating with Vibrant Hawaiʻi and other community partners to distribute supplies at points of distribution in locations around the island.

Visit the Vibrant Hawaiʻi website for locations and hours.

Additional disaster relief updates

• Hot showers: Available 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily at Robert N. Herkes Gymnasium and Shelter (Kaʻū District gym), 96-1219 Kamani St., Pāhala. Bring your own towel and hygiene products.
• Device charging locations:
  • Sgt. Rodney J.T. Yano Memorial Hall, 82-6156 Māmalahoa Highway, Captain Cook.
  • Robert N. Herkes Gymnasium and Shelter (Kaʻū District gym), 96-1219 Kamani St., Pāhala.
  • Nāʻālehu Hongwanji, 95-5695 Māmalahoa Highway, Nāʻālehu.

Water service

• Water service was restored to parts of Nāʻālehu. Hawaiʻi County Department of Water Supply advises residents in Nāʻālehu and Waiʻōhinu to boil water used for drinking or cooking purposes until further notice.
• Water service was restored to Pāhala.
• Water tankers are located at Old Island Market in Nāʻālehu and the Discovery Harbour Community Center. A 400-gallon water buffalo also is available at Peck Road in Volcano.

Roads update

• Hawaiʻi County Department of Public Works restored access to Green Sands and Wood Valley Access Road is open in Kaʻū.
• Public Works continues work to restore Cane Haul Road in Kaʻū.

For an updated list of road closures, visit the Hawaiʻi County Hazard Map: Hazard Impact Map.

Solid waste

• Transfer stations at Pāhala, Waiʻōhinu and Ocean View are open 7 days a week until further notice to assist residents with debris clearing. Bulky items such as sofas and beds are now accepted at the Waiʻōhinu transfer station.
• Roll-off rubbish bins are available for residential waste and bulk items at 95-5572 Māmalahoa Highway in Nāʻālehu.
• Transfer stations at Waimea, Kealakehe and Keauhou are accepting green waste 7 days a week.

Bus service

• Hele-On Route 90 in Kaʻū is back in service.

Nāʻālehu Cemetery

A multi-agency effort, in consultation with subject matter experts and cultural practitioners, continues to recover human remains displaced from graves by flood waters at Nāʻālehu Cemetery.

The public and media are asked to be respectful of this sensitive recovery effort. Allow the team room to work and do not take any pictures or video that might show human remains.

Do not touch or move human remains. Anyone who finds human remains is asked to contact Civil Defense at 808-935-0031.

Requests for assistance

If you were impacted by Hurricane Lala and need assistance, submit a request for assistance. Completing the form will help direct resources to community needs.

Report Damage

Report property damage to Civil Defense. Damage reports can be submitted online or by calling Civil Defense at 808-935-0031.

Call U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency at 808-933-8334 to report agricultural damage.

Every damage report counts. Reporting damages helps Civil Defense better understand the magnitude of impact caused by Hurricane Lala and document it for potential recovery assistance.

Civil Defense had received 544 residential damage reports and 56 commercial damage reports from Hurricane Lala as of Aug. 21.

Donations

Call the Vibrant Hawai‘i Coordination Line at 802-365-1808 to make donations of supplies.

Monetary donations can be made to the Hawai‘i Island Strong Fund established by the Hawai‘i Community Foundation.

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.

County officials urge the public to continue avoiding any unnecessary travel into Kaʻū to help quicken emergency response.

Insurance assistance

Zephyr Insurance, Hawai‘i’s hurricane insurance provider, will open two additional claim assistance centers next week on the Big Island to provide in-person assistance to policyholders impacted by Hurricane Lala.

Representatives will be available from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 26 in Waimea and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 27 in Hilo to help policyholders report hurricane-related damage, answer questions about their policies and provide guidance through the claims process.

The Waimea assistance center will be located at Allstate Insurance Agency – Nakoa Kai Professionals, 65-1291 Kawaihae Road, Suite 201. The Hilo assistance center will be located at Business Insurance Services, 1080 Kīlauea Ave.

Policyholders are encouraged to reserve a timeslot in advance by clicking here. Walk-ins will be assisted on a first-come, first-served basis as time permits.

Visit the Zephyr Insurance website or call 808-440-5400 (toll free at 866-440-5401) for additional information, including what you need to bring and more about how the insurance company can help.

Hawaiian Electric

Hawai‘i County Civil Defense reports to get the latest information about power outages and estimated restoration times residents can visit the Hawaiian Electric website.

Hawaiian Electric continues to urge customers to review emergency plans, ensure they have supplies on hand and closely monitor weather updates as the new tropical cyclone continues its approach toward Hawai‘i.

Preparation and safety tips are available on the Hawaiian Electric website. Detailed tips also can be found in our Handbook for Emergency Preparedness.

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.

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.

Public schools

Nā‘ālehu Elementary and Ka‘ū High & Pāhala Elementary schools remain temporarily closed, and recovery and planning efforts continue after both experienced significant impacts from Hurricane Lala.

Hawai‘i Department of Education, Kaʻū-Keaʻau-Pāhoa Complex Area and school leaders are developing plans to support continued learning while campus and community recovery efforts continue. Families and employees at both schools will receive additional information directly as plans are finalized.

The state Education Department hopes to have plans finalized and shared by early next week.

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.

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.

Click here for additional information.

Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park closures

Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park remains without power, internet or phone service as the community — and many park employees, volunteers and partners — recover from the devastating impacts Hurricane Lala.

Emergency services in the park are limited and the park’s air quality monitoring system is down because of ongoing power and communications outages.

Check the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park website for alerts and connect with official park social media on Facebook, Instagram and X.

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.

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.

Banks

All Bank of Hawai‘i Big Island branches are open except the Kā‘u Branch.