Pahala residents face power, water outages as crews work to reopen storm-damaged Highway 11

PĀHALA, Hawaiʻi (HawaiiNewsNow) – Residents in the isolated Kaʻū town of Pāhala are facing critical shortages after Hurricane Lala left the community with no power, running water, or sewer systems.

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However, emergency officials offered a partial reprieve Monday morning, announcing that evacuees and emergency workers could begin driving toward Hilo.

The opening brought relief to families at the Kaʻū District shelter who had spent three nights displaced by the storm.

Road to Hilo partially reopens

On Saturday night, floodwaters from Hurricane Lala burst through a gulch at Paʻauʻau Stream, destroying the section of Highway 11 that serves as the only road in and out of the small town. During the flash flooding, some residents swam for their lives, and firefighters carried an elderly woman to safety.

Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense officials said Monday morning that the highway was initially reopened toward Hilo for emergency vehicles only.

While officials hoped to open the road for local residents by Monday afternoon, word of the clearing spread quickly and some drivers took their chances to get out, navigating past downed trees and power lines.

Meanwhile, Highway 11 remains completely closed heading south toward Naʻalehu. Heavy construction equipment is on-site, but officials said it remains unclear how long it will take to rebuild and reopen the southern route.

Road crews said they will need to construct a temporary bypass so motorists can drive around South Point to reach Naʻalehu and Kona.

Residents face resource shortages

Pāhala resident Kathy Andrade said the community is running out of essential supplies.

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“Water to drink and clean up is taking longer than expected,” Andrade said, though she added that neighbors have been coming together to help each other.

“It feels like an apocalypse to be honest,” said Pāhala resident Ralph Aurelio, referring to the tangled mess of trees and power lines all along the highway.

Naʻalehu resident Ernie Salo, who faces a five-hour drive around the island to get home, said he was surprised by the speed of the cleanup.

“I wouldn’t have thought they would have been able to clear it so fast,” Salo said. “We were very happy.”

Hospital operating on emergency power

The Kaʻū Hospital and Clinic is currently operating on backup emergency power. The facility has closed its clinic but expects an increase in patients seeking medication refills and treatment for storm-related illnesses as the adrenaline of the event wears off.

Elena Cabatu, a spokesperson for Kaʻū Hospital and Clinic, said staff are preparing for a wave of post-storm medical needs.

“We are anticipating folks coming to the hospital for medication refills and whatever storm-related illnesses and the aftermath of that, whether their adrenaline is running out, sleep-deprived, you name it, we’ll be there,” Cabatu said.

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