What you need to know about Hurricane Lala recovery: Food, water, electric, supplies and other essentials

Updated 7 a.m. on Aug. 25

Relief efforts continue following destruction on the Big Island caused by Hurricane Lala a week ago. Here is what you need to know Tuesday:

Food distribution

The Salvation Army Hawaiian & Pacific Islands Division is serving up warm meals to high-impact areas across Hawaiʻi Island this week.

Lunch and dinner meals are being served at shelters across the Kaʻū District, with nearly 550 meals already served. Walmart, Waiakea Water, L&L Hawaiian Barbecue and Kaleo’s Bar and Grill have joined in the effort.

Brown water advisory

As of Tuesday, a brown water advisory remains in effect for Hawaiʻi Island, as waters around the islands could contain higher than normal pollutant levels because of heavy rainfall during the tropical storm. Click here for additional information.

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.

Hot showers

Hot showers are vailable 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

You can charge your devices at the following places:

• 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

DWS continues to assess and repair the waterline between Haao Springs Tank and
South Point Road tank (approximately 17,200 linear feet). DWS continues to check for waterline leaks throughout its entire distribution system.

Nā‘ālehu to Wai‘ohinu water service updates (includes Discovery Harbor, Mark Twain Subdivision, Green Sands Subdivision, and South Point Road areas):

• Hawaiian Electric power has been restored to Nā‘ālehu Well and Nā‘ālehu booster
• station.
• DWS will continue to incrementally expand water service areas to Nā‘ālehu, Wai‘ohinu,
• Discovery Harbor, Mark Twain Subdivision, Green Sands Subdivision, and South Point
• Road areas.
• DWS is hauling water to tanks within the system to assist/facilitate water restoration
• efforts.
• DWS’ precautionary boil water notice remains in effect for all DWS customers, in
• Nā‘ālehu, Wai‘ohinu, Discovery Harbor, Mark Twain Subdivision, Green Sands
• Subdivision, and South Point Road areas, until further notice.
• Potable water tankers are located across from Nā‘ālehu Ace Hardware and at the
• Discovery Harbor Clubhouse for public use. Use water for Essential Uses only.

Upper Mountain View

• Hawaiian Electric power has not been restored yet to DWS Olaa #7 booster and #8 booster station.
• Olaa #7 booster is currently operating on generator power.
• DWS continues to haul water to the Mountain View #2 Tank (North Peck Road/Ihope
• Road).
• DWS has deployed a potable water tanker along North Peck Road for public use.
• Use water for Essential Uses only.

Kaloko Mauka

Hawaiian Electric power has been restored to DWS Kaloko Mauka tanks and booster pumps.
Normal water operations have been restored.

Hawī

Hawaiian Electric power has not yet been restored to it’s uppermost booster station in the Ka‘auhuhu area, which is currently operating on generator power. Use water for Essential
Uses only.

Pāhala

• Hawaiian Electric power has not yet been restored to the Pāhala well, which is currently operating on generator power. Use water for Essential Uses only.
• Precautionary Boil Water Notice for Pāhala is CANCELLED as of Aug. 20.
• Based on an aerial inspection conducted on Aug. 22, DWS waterlines to its water
• sources above Pāhala town sustained significant damage and there is no timetable for repair at this time.
• Spigots are available on the fire hydrant fronting Ka‘ū Hospital for Punalu‘u residents. Use water for Essential Uses only.
• A 2-inch outlet is available from the fire hydrant fronting Ka‘ū Hospital for ranchers to fill water tankers.

For more information about water service outages, click here.

Roads update

• 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.

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.

Hawaiian Electric

About 4,600 Hawaiian Electric customers on the Big Island remain without power as of Monday evening.

Hawaiian Electric restored power to more than 1,700 customers in Nāʻālehu, Oceanview, Kaloko Mauka, Upper Āhualoa, Kalapana, portions of Leilani Estates, Pa‘auilo Mauka, Hawaiian Beaches, and Hawaiian Paradise Park on Monday.

During the day, crews experienced isolated downpours caused by the passing Tropical Depression Moke. This caused temporary delays, and repairs will continue into the night in some of the hardest-hit areas.

This includes additional parts of Nāʻālehu as well as Kaloko Mauka, Hōlualoa, Mountain View, Glenwood, Āhualoa, Hawaiian Beaches, Kohala Mountain, Fern Forest, Hawaiian Shores, Tangerine Drive, Nānāwale, Punaluʻu, Leilani Estates, Kalapana, Kapoho and Kaʻū.

Customers who are without power but see their neighbors have electricity restored should check their main circuit breaker before reporting the outage to Hawaiian Electric’s Hawaiʻi Island Trouble Line at 1-855-304-9191 or report online.

Below is a list of areas that are not expected to get power back within the next 48 hours or so. This is based on the best information available at the time, Hawaiian Electric said.

Beyond 48 hours, significant extended outage possible:

Kaloko Mauka: Some customers have been restored, but remaining customers should prepare for a possible extended outage due to extensive pole repairs needed.

5 to 7 days:

• Orchid Isle Substation to Mountain View Post Office / Mountain View and Glenwood: Crews are onsite, but due to extreme damage, customers should prepare for extended outages.
• Ahualoa: Crews are working but customers are asked to prepare for extended outages.

By Sept. 8 for full restoration; many sooner:

Ka‘ū including Waiohinu, Nā‘ālehu, Punaluʻu, Pāhala and Wood Valley: Repair work on transmission lines to Pāhala are near completion but further assessments underway on distribution lines. Debris must be cleared from Nāʻālehu, Waiohinu, Punaluʻu and Wood Valley before distribution lines can be rebuilt.

This list does not represent every community or pocket of customers currently without power on Hawai‘i Island. The utility said even if your area isn’t listed here, it is aware and is working on restorations.

Visit the Hawaiian Electric website to get the latest information about power outages and estimated restoration times. For Hawaiʻi Island map out outages, click here.

Customers who experienced major flooding and have not had their power restored must ensure their main breaker is off and contact an electrician to confirm their system is safe to re-energize once power is restored. If you have photovoltaic panels and battery energy storage systems installed on your home or business, consult your licensed solar contractor regarding normal and emergency operation procedures for your system.

Customers on the Big Island who are without power but see their neighbors have electricity restored should call the utility’s troubleline at 1-855-304-9191 or Report online.

Customers also can all that number 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.

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.

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.

Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park partially reopens

Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park has partially reopened some areas along Kīlauea summit following recent storms. Crater Rim Drive West from the park entrance to Uēkahuna is open, along with the Welcome Center and Hawaiʻi Pacific Parks Association store.

Popular overlooks like Kīlauea Overlook and Kūkamāhuākea (Steam Vents) are open.

Mauna Loa Road is open to Kīpukapuaulu, but Tree Molds and the day-use area are open.

Volcano Art Center Gallery will open. Volcano House will open and offer a limited menu in its restaurants. Kilauea Military Camp will open to authorized patrons.

Still closed in the park:

• The Kahuku Unit remains closed due to damage from Hurricane Lala until further notice.
• Nāmakanipaio Campground is closed due to storm damage until further notice.
• Kīpukapuaulu Trail is closed due to tree hazards.
• All areas not mentioned as open remain closed while park staff continue to address hazards, but will reopen as soon as they are deemed safe.

Visitors coming to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park from the west side of the island are strongly urged to use Daniel K. Inouye Highway, also known as Saddle Road, or the Hāmākua Coast (Highway 19) and avoid using the Highway 11 southern route through Kaʻū.

Park electricity, the air quality monitoring system and communications were restored following a weeklong outage from Hurricane Lala. The Kahuku Unit remains without power, reliable communications and running water.

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

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.

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.