What you need to know about Hurricane Lala recovery: Equipment access continues to impact restoration of some Hawaiian Electric customers

Updated at 10:30 a.m. Aug. 29, 2026.

While Hawaiian Electric crews made significant progress repairing utility infrastructure, there are several hundred customers in various locations around the Big Island yet to be restored because of issues accessing equipment. 

“Even though we are ready to restore power, we need to first ensure that our customers’ property can receive electricity safely,” said Hawaiian Electric Vice President of Energy Delivery Shari Ishikawa in an update Saturday morning.

Customers who remain without electricity and have not followed up within the past 3 days — except those in Wood Valley — should call the company’s trouble line at 1-855-304-9191 or report it online.

Hawai‘i County Department of Water Supply reports service continues to be incrementally expanded to several areas hardest hit by Lala.

Water is being filled into Discovery Harbor Off-site, Discovery Harbor No. 3 and Discovery Harbor No. 4 as well as South Point Road tanks, and waterlines downstream of tanks will begin to be filled as tanks are refilled. Repairs to waterline leaks and breaks will be made as they are found.

Water service to taps also will slowly be restored as tanks are filled in those areas.

Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park also is reopening portions as they are cleared and repaired.

The public also should continue avoiding unnecessary travel into Kaʻū to help quicken emergency response.

Keep reading for more updates about ongoing Hurricane Lala recovery.

Hawaiian Electric

Crews have made significant progress with repairing utility infrastructure; however, there are several hundred customers in various locations around the island yet to be re-energized because of issues accessing equipment. 

“Even though we are ready to restore power, we need to first ensure that our customers’ property can receive electricity safely,” said Hawaiian Electric Vice President of Energy Delivery Shari Ishikawa in an update Saturday morning.

Although most customers who remain without electricity reported it, those who have not followed up within the past 3 days — except those in Wood Valley — should call the company’s trouble line at 1-855-304-9191 or report it online.

Repairs to customer-owned electrical components such as wiring, outlets or equipment and/or removal of vegetation from individual service lines might be needed before power can be restored.

Customers who experienced major flooding and have not had their power restored must ensure their main circuit breaker is off and contact a licensed electrician to confirm their system is safe to re-energize.

Floodwaters swept away portions of Wood Valley and Center roads along with more than a dozen utility poles in Wood Valley. Hawaiian Electric plans to reroute its lines and install new poles away from the damaged areas to help get customers back online as soon as possible.

Crews on Friday did pre-work for installation of new poles, which will continue through the weekend.

Hawaiian Electric representatives 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.

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.

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

Hawai‘i County Department of Water Supply

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

• Water service continues to be incrementally expanded to these areas.
• Water is being filled into Discovery Harbor Off-site, Discovery Harbor No. 3 and Discovery Harbor No. 4 as well as South Point Road tanks.
• Crews will start to fill waterlines downstream of tanks as they are refilled and repair waterline leaks and breaks as they are found.
• Water service to taps will slowly be restored as tanks are filled.
• Please limit use to essential needs only and refrain from wasting water.
• 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.
• Potable water tankers for public use are located across from Nā‘ālehu Ace Hardware and at Discovery Harbor Clubhouse.

Pāhala

• 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.

Disaster relief and donations

Hawai‘i County Civil Defense Human Services continues coordinating with Vibrant Hawaiʻi and other community partners to distribute supplies around the island.

Call the Vibrant Hawai‘i Coordination Line at 802-365-1808 to make donations. Monetary donations specifically can be made to the Hawai‘i Island Strong Fund established by the Hawai‘i Community Foundation.

Hawaiʻi Department of the Attorney General urges donors to verify charities before giving to disaster relief efforts as crowdfunding campaigns and fundraising efforts are being launched throughout Hawaiʻi in support of those impacted by Lala.

The attorney general’s Tax and Charities Division asks donors to do their homework before contributing to or organizing any relief fundraiser.

Residents should confirm a charity’s status using the following resources:

• Hawaiʻi Department of the Attorney General.
• IRS Tax Exempt Organization search.
• Charity Navigator.
• Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Business Search.

Donors also are recommend taking these precautions:

• Verify who organized the campaign and give only to fundraisers hosted by people you personally know and trust.
• Trace where the donation link leads and check with the person who shared it to confirm they have a real connection to the charity or organizer.
• Look for clear answers to who receives the donation, if the platform/organizer deducts fees before funds are passed along, how long it will take to receive the funds, what happens if the donation cannot be delivered and if a donor’s personal information is shared.

If a charity cannot answer these questions clearly, donors should consider giving to an established, registered charity instead.

State law requires written consent from a charity before the event takes place. Consent forms can be submitted here.

Charities, in turn, should confirm that any fundraiser conducted in their name has been properly authorized. Further details are posted on the Tax & Charities Division website.

Contact the Tax & Charities Division at 808-586-1480 or visit its website to report a suspected charity scam or questionable fundraiser.

Banks

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

Public schools

K\aʻū High & Pāhala Elementary School will reopen Monday, Aug. 31, for in-person learning, while Nāʻālehu Elementary students will start temporary classes Wednesday, Sept. 2, at the Kaʻū High gym. Additional updates are being posted online.

Public libraries

Nā‘ālehu Public Library, located at 95-5669 Māmalahoa Highway, and Pāhala Public and School Library, located at 96-3150 Pikake St., are reopen. Both resumed full services and regular hours, with electricity and network connectivity restored.

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.

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

Visit the Hawaiʻi County Hazard Impact Map for updates about any road closures and more.

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.

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.

Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park partially reopens

Most of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is now open following temporary closures, including these most recently opened: 

• Backcountry trails and campsites reopened Thursday.
• Hilina Pali Road, previously closed to motorized vehicles from Maunaiki Trailhead to the lookout due to fire risk, is now open.
• Mauna Loa Summit and cabin are open but only accessible by ʻĀinapo Trail or the trailhead past Mauna Loa Observatory on the Daniel K. Inouye Highway side of the mauna.

Areas that remain closed until further notice are:

• Mauna Loa Road from the gate beyond Kīpukapuaulu to Mauna Loa Lookout.
• Kīpukapuaulu Trail, Nāmakanipaio Campground and cabins and the Kahuku Unit because of numerous downed trees, hazardous snags and other damage.

Hazards remain, including fallen trees, hanging branches, unstable slopes, flooding, debris, damaged roads and facilities.

Visitors from the island’s west side should use Daniel K. Inouye Highway, also known as Saddle Road or Hāmākua Coast (Highway 19) to avoid using Highway 11 through Kaʻū.

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

Nāʻālehu Cemetery

The public and media are asked to be respectful of this sensitive recovery effort.

Allow the multi-agency effort, in consultation with subject matter experts and cultural practitioners, continue to recover any displaced human remains. Give 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