New images show how erosion led to damaging floods in Kau during Hurricane Lala

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Newly released images from helicopter survey conducted over the Na’alehu and Wai’ohinu stream channels shows the massive erosion that led to widespread flooding in downslope communities during Hurricane Lala.

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The U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory organized the mission over flood prone areas on Friday, Aug. 21.

One photo shows the K’a’ala’ala Gulch, east of Pahala, covered with boulders and trees after it was stripped completely bare of vegetation.

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The data was collected for the Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency and its partners to assess flood damage and coordinate cleanup efforts.

Topographical data using Helicopter-based Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) will also be used by the USGS Landslide Hazards Program to improve slope failure models for future rainfall events in the area.

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