Breaking: 2 homes swept away in Nā‘ālehu due to intense rainfall from Lala

The National Weather Service is urging residents in the Ka‘ū District to get to higher ground now after local law enforcement reported two homes in Nā‘ālehu were swept away Saturday night.

The National Weather Service has extended its flash flood warning until 1 a.m. Rain was falling at a rate of 3 to 5 inches per hour. Flash flooding is ongoing, with additional heavy rain bands expected over the next several hours.

Some locations that will experience flash flooding include Wood Valley, Pāhala, Punalu‘u Beach, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, Kawa Flats, Volcano, Nā‘ālehu, Glenwood, Hawaiian Ocean View, Mountain View and Waiohinu.

“This is a particularly dangerous situation,” the National Weather Service states in its advisory. “Seek higher ground now!”

More information will be provided as it becomes available.

Hawai‘i County also confirmed one fatality amid the impacts of the hurricane following a two-car crash in Ocean View on Saturday. There were also about five rescues of people from vehicles after becoming stranded.