As Hurricane "Lala" approached Hawaii in the United States, strong winds and heavy rain caused a large-scale power outage on Hawaii Island, also known as the Big Island.
The Associated Press said on the 15th (local time) that 32% of power customers on the Big Island experienced outages due to the hurricane. The AP reported it was the first time in 155 years that the Big Island, the largest island in Hawaii with a population of 210,000, was hit head-on by a hurricane.
Earlier, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) warned that life-threatening flooding and landslides would occur due to rainfall, urging particular caution around steep slopes. According to the NHC, Lala is a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 120 kph. By maximum sustained wind, Category 5 is the highest hurricane category, and Category 1 is the lowest.
With Lala approaching, a hurricane warning was issued for the Big Island, and tropical storm warnings were issued for the islands of Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe, Oahu, Kauai, and Niihau.
Vanessa Almanza, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service (NWS) based in Honolulu, told the AP that Hurricane Lala is expected to strike very close to the southern tip of the Big Island. According to a University of Hawaii atmospheric scientist's research, a Category 3 hurricane struck the island's northeast in 1871.
According to local media reports carried by Reuters, Hawaiian Electric advised customers that "there may be prolonged outages and they could persist through the night." The company said employees were inspecting a 42-mile (68-kilometer) stretch of transmission lines after fallen trees along the Hamakua Coast on the Big Island brought down utility poles and structures.
The hurricane could bring 10 to 20 inches (25 to 51 centimeters) of rain to the Big Island, with up to 25 inches (64 centimeters) possible, especially at higher elevations. Eastern Maui is expected to receive 8 to 12 inches (20 to 30 centimeters) of precipitation, and western Maui 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 centimeters). As of the afternoon of the 15th, the hurricane was moving west.
The Hawaii Department of Transportation said it would close Hilo International Airport and Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport. The department also closed commercial harbors on Hawaii Island, Maui County, and Kauai.