What you need to know about Hurricane Lala recovery: Hawaiian Electric reports only about 600 Big Island customers remain without power

Updated at 7:33 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 27.

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

Meanwhile, only about 600 Big Island customers remained without power as of Hawaiian Electric’s 6 p.m. update Thursday.

Restoration work continues islandwide, with crews addressing outages in Puna, North Kona, Kaʻū, Hāmākua and Honokaʻa. Power was also restored to Ka‘ū Hospital following repairs Wednesday on a key Kaʻū transmission line, which led to return of power later that night for Pāhala customers.

Normal water use was allowed to resume Thursday for the Upper Mountain View area and Pāhala after power was restored to ʻŌlaʻa No. 7 booster and No. 8 booster stations as well as Pāhala well.

Continue readinng to find those updates and a lot more.

Hawaiian Electric

Hawaiian Electric continues to make strides in power restoration.

Power returned Thursday at Ka‘ū Hospital after repairs were finished Wednesday on a key Kaʻū transmission line, which also allowed power to return for Pāhala customers by that night.

The transmission line restoration marks significant progress in recovery efforts and strengthens the electric system serving communities in the southern portion of Hawaiʻi Island.

Crews restored service to about 1,490 Big Island customers since Wednesday morning and continued work in some of the island’s hardest-hit areas. About 1,430 customers shortly after noon Thursday remained without power.

Only about 600 customers were still without power as of 6 p.m. Thursday.

Restoration work continues islandwide, with crews Thursday addressing outages in areas such as Puna, North Kona, Kaʻū, Hāmākua and Honokaʻa.

Inspections and safety checks are being conducted as repairs are completed in an effort to verify safety of repaired and replaced equipment as well as ensure the equipment is operational and ready to be returned to service.

Remaining outages are increasingly concentrated in smaller pockets where damage is more complex and additional work could be required before equipment can be safely energized.

Personnel, equipment and resources from throughout the state and mainland also continue restoration efforts as outage numbers decline.

Hawaiian Electric representatives also are still available at Vibrant Hawai‘i points of distribution at Pāhala Community Center and Kurtistown Samoan-English Seventh-Day Adventist Church, where customers can get questions answered, updates about restoration and outages, news about ongoing work in their area and estimated restoration timelines.

Crews are taking opportunities as they replace storm-damaged power lines to strengthen the island’s electric system where possible. Aluminum wire also is being replaced with copper wire in certain areas at high wildfire risk as part of repair and restoration work to improve system resilience.

Estimated restoration times could be adjusted because of access issues, additional damage, unsafe conditions or need for specialized equipment. The focus is on larger or more complex outage areas expected to take longer to fully restore.

The list of estimated restoration times is provided so customers can better make plans and based on the best possible information available at the time.

Estimated restoration times as of Thursday afternoon

Customers are encouraged to remain alert for potential utility imposters. Verify a person’s affiliation by calling Hawaiian Electric customer call centers at:

• Hilo: 808-969-6999.
• Kona: 808-329-3584.
• Waimea: 808-885-4605.

Customers without power but see their neighbors have electricity should call the utility’s trouble line at 1-855-304-9191 or report it online.

Customers also can call the above number to report any downed power lines, which should always be treated as energized and dangerous. Be sure to sign up for emergency outage alerts, too.

Information about filing damage claims can be found on the Hawaiian Electric website.

Banks

Bank of Hawai‘i on Thursday reopened its Kā‘u branch, located at 96-3163 Pīkake St. in Pāhala, after a nearly 2-week closure after Hurricane Lala. Temporary hours are 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. until further notice.

Public schools

Hawai‘i Department of Education announced Wednesday that Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary School will reopen Monday, Aug. 31, for in-person learning, while Nāʻālehu Elementary students will start temporary classes on Wednesday, Sept. 2, at the Kaʻū High gym.

Updates are being posted online.

Hawai‘i County Department of Water Supply

Water Supply officials issued the following updates shortly before 3 p.m. Thursday.

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

• All customers in these areas are reminded that a precautionary boil water notice remains in effect until further notice. Boil all tap water used for drinking and cooking purposes. Do NOT drink the water without boiling it first. Click here for additional information.
• Customers might see fire hydrants open in certain areas. The purpose is to force air out of waterlines, allowing water to take its place. Future water service issues will happen if air remains locked in waterlines.
• Water service continues to be incrementally expanded in these areas.
• Water is being boosted from Nāʻālehu tank to its upper tanks and also being hauled to Discovery Harbor off-site and South Point Road tanks.
• Water service will slowly be restored to customer taps as tanks are filled. Continue to limit use to essential needs only to help increase water stored in these tanks.
• Breaks are being located on the waterline between the Hāʻao Springs tank and South Point Road tank. Breaks are being fixed as they are found while waterlines continue to be slowly filled with water.
• Potable water tankers for public use are located across from Nā‘ālehu Ace Hardware and at Discovery Harbor Clubhouse.
• Customers in these areas also are reminded to use water for essential purposes only.

Upper Mountain View

• Power was restored to ʻŌlaʻa No. 7 booster and No. 8 booster stations. Water tanks at higher elevations also are being boosted.
• Water service was on track to be restored Thursday.
• Normal water use can resume.

Pāhala

• Power was restored to Pāhala well. Normal water use can resume.
• Spigots are available on the fire hydrant fronting Ka‘ū Hospital for Punalu‘u residents. Use water for essential purposes 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.

The public also is reminded and continues to be warned about reports of people posing as department employees and attempting to collect payment for an alleged past due water bill.

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 throughout Kaʻū. Walmart, Waiākea Water, L&L Hawaiian Barbecue and Kaleo’s Bar and Grill also joined in the effort.

Brown water advisories

Brown water advisories remain in effect for waters along the Hāmākua Coast to Hilo Bay in East Hawaiʻi and from Honuʻapo to Punaluʻu along the island’s southeast coastline, .

Disaster relief

Hawai‘i County Civil Defense Human Services 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), located at 96-1219 Kamani St., in Pāhala. Bring a towel and hygiene products.

Device charging locations

Devices can be charged at the following places:

• Sgt. Rodney J.T. Yano Memorial Hall, 82-6156 Māmalahoa Highway, Captain Cook.
• Robert N. Herkes Gymnasium and Shelter, 96-1219 Kamani St., Pāhala.
• Nāʻālehu Hongwanji, 95-5695 Māmalahoa Highway, Nāʻālehu.

Roads update

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.

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.

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.

Insurance assistance

Zephyr Insurance, Hawai‘i’s hurricane insurance provider, opens an additional claim assistance center today (Aug. 27) in Hilo to provide in-person assistance to policyholders impacted by Hurricane Lala.

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

The Hilo assistance center is located at Business Insurance Services, 1080 Kīlauea Ave.

Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park partially reopens

Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park partially reopened some areas along the Kīlauea summit. Crater Rim Drive West, from the park entrance to Uēkahuna, as well as the Welcome Center and Hawaiʻi Pacific Parks Association store.

Popular overlooks such as Kīlauea Overlook and Kūkamāhuākea (Steam Vents) also are open.

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

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

Still closed in the park:

• Kahuku Unit until further notice.
• Nāmakanipaio Campground until further notice.
• Kīpukapuaulu Trail because of 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.

Park visitors coming from the west side of the island are urged to use Daniel K. Inouye Highway, also known as Saddle Road, or Highway 19 along the Hāmākua Coast to avoid using the Highway 11 southern route through Kaʻū.

Park electricity, air quality monitoring system and communications were restored.

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

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
• Emergency management contacts
• Weather information/forecasts
• Storm-related park updates

Federal emergency declaration for Hawaiʻi

Federal Emergency Management Agency announced Tuesday that federal disaster assistance is available to Hawaiʻi County to supplement state and local response efforts because of the emergency conditions resulting from Hurricane Lala.

President Donald J. Trump approved the emergency declaration requested by Hawai’i Gov. Josh Green, authorizing the agency to coordinate federal disaster relief efforts to alleviate hardship and suffering caused by the emergency and provide appropriate assistance to save lives and protect property, public health and safety as well as lessen or avert the threat of catastrophe.