Hawaii Island flooding: Town isolated, swept-away resident rescued after Lala

News admin August 17, 2026 0 Comments

Hawaii Island flooding: Town isolated, swept-away resident rescued after Lala

HILO (HawaiiNewsNow) – Hurricane Lala left a trail of severe flooding and structural damage across Hawaiʻi Island, leaving the community of Pāhala isolated and prompting dramatic search and rescue operations overnight.

During a press conference Sunday, Hawaiʻi County Mayor Kimo Alameda and first responders confirmed that one person was rescued after being swept away along with her home in Waiʻōhinu.

Fire Chief Dan Volpe said the resident went outside to reach her vehicle when floodwaters pinned and swept her approximately 100 yards. She was located Sunday morning with moderate injuries, awake and alert, and transported by ground ambulance to the hospital.

Two homes in the area were heavily damaged, including one completely washed off its foundation. The report prompted the National Weather Service to trigger a “flash flood emergency,” urging residents to seek higher ground.

Watch Sunday’s full press conference with county officials:

First responders and National Guard rescue

In another overnight emergency, officials confirmed an ambulance crew consisting of a paramedic and an EMT had to be rescued after rising floodwaters pushed their vehicle against a guardrail.

The two were working alongside the National Guard to respond to a report of a trapped resident, climbed onto the ambulance roof and safely evacuated into a National Guard high-water vehicle.

No injuries were reported, though the ambulance remains stranded on the roadway.

“The ambulance is there. Vehicles can be replaced. The people are what we’re most concerned about. Again, (we’re) very grateful, very fortunate,” Volpe said.

Officials said Hawaii Island police officers helped three others who were stranded overnight without food or water around Kawa Flats on Highway 11.

Police said they used excavators to dig out debris from the road, and they came back to Kaʻu District Gym shelter around 3:20 p.m. Sunday.

Watch Mahealani Richardson’s report from Highway 11 in Pahala:

Pahala isolated, bridges destroyed

Mayor Alameda, who conducted an aerial damage assessment with Civil Defense Acting Administrator Darryl Oliveira, reported seeing “devastation” in the Kaʻū district. Alameda counted six bridges that are either destroyed or significantly damaged, which left Pāhala entirely landlocked.

Residents and officials at the scene reported hearing a loud roar followed by a sudden gushing of water around 9 p.m. Saturday night.

Hawaii News Now traveled along Highway 11, where floodwaters from Pa’au’au Stream burst through a rock wall and rushed onto the highway, causing the roadway to collapse under the force of rushing water and debris.

Fronting the Kaʻū Hospital, a massive retaining wall shifted and broke in two before the highway gave way.

The highway collapse has trapped the isolated community of approximately 2,000 to 2,500 residents, leaving them with no way out.

“It’s just horrific. It’s just catastrophic,” said Deborah Funai Brown, a lifelong Pāhala resident.

Brown explained that debris, rocks, and fallen trees piled up and clumped together, forcing the rushing floodwaters to forge their own natural course through the town. She noted that residents are feeling anxious about being cut off from the rest of the island.

“We’ve always been stuck in the middle of nowhere so you kind of feel forgotten about when you’re out here, like you’re on an island by yourself,” Brown said. Local residents said it has been about 25 years since the area experienced destruction on this scale.

Crews from Public Works, state highways, and the National Guard are working alongside contractors to clear the massive debris field and re-establish access to the community.

Widespread, extended power outages

Widespread power outages continue to impact the island. Approximately 500 utility workers, including teams flying in from neighboring islands, are working around the clock to restore power.

However, officials warned that repairing downed high-voltage transmission lines is complex and some areas could remain dark for days, a week, or potentially weeks. Police Chief Reed Mahuna urged residents to stay off the roads to allow recovery crews to work safely.

More information about where thepoweroutages are in effect.

Shelters and community damage

As of Sunday, emergency shelters remained active, housing 41 occupants at the Nāʻālehu shelter and 13 at the Pāhala shelter, while 15 residents sheltered in place with neighbors. Officials also confirmed that a county cemetery in Nāʻālehu suffered severe damage, with graves and assets unearthed by the storm.

Mayor Alameda spoke with the governor, who grew up in Kaʻū, and received assurances that the state would fight “tooth and nail” for federal funds to rebuild the island’s critical public infrastructure.