Gov. Green requests presidential emergency declaration after Hurricane Lala

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) -Gov. Josh Green is asking the White House for a presidential emergency declaration following widespread damage from Hurricane Lala.

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The request, signed Saturday, covers Hawaii County, Maui County and the City and County of Honolulu.

State officials are seeking immediate federal assistance to protect public health and safety, maintain essential services and support communities still recovering as Tropical Storm Moke approaches.

“Hurricane Lala caused severe damage across our state and placed an extraordinary strain on communities already recovering from previous disasters,” Green said.

The state said Lala dumped roughly 20 to 40 inches of rain in some areas, triggering flooding, runoff and landslides. Initial reports indicate hundreds of homes were damaged or destroyed, while roads and bridges were also damaged or washed out.

Kau was among the hardest-hit areas, where flooding and infrastructure damage disrupted access along Hawaii Belt Road and prolonged power and communications outages affected water systems, medical access and emergency operations.

On Oahu, heavy rain, strong winds, flooding, debris and outages disrupted transportation and essential services.

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The state also cited the slope failure at Naalehu Cemetery, which disinterred human remains and created what officials described as an urgent cultural and public health concern.

At the height of the storm, approximately 200,000 customers across Hawaii Island, Maui and Oahu lost power. When the request was submitted, about 11,290 customers on Hawaii Island remained without electricity.

The state is requesting federal emergency protective measures and direct assistance, including specialized mortuary teams, large-capacity generators and federal support to establish temporary microgrids or similar power systems.

Green said the state has been in contact with the White House and federal officials as recovery efforts continue.

“We are asking for specialized federal resources to protect our communities, care for our people and keep essential services operating while another storm approaches,” he said.

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