Over 40,000 face 'life-threatening' conditions without power as Hurricane Lala approaches Hawaii

Hurricane Lala approached Hawaii on Saturday, leaving over 40,000 utility customers without power and prompting warnings of "life-threatening" conditions from the National Hurricane Center. As of 2:14 p.m., 42,889 customers were without power, primarily on the Big Island (31,792) and Maui County (7,203). The hurricane center predicted 10 to 20 inches of rain on the Big Island, with up to 25 inches possible, warning that "This rainfall will produce life-threatening flooding and mudslides." Hawaiian Electric anticipated "possible extended outages, potentially overnight," as crews assessed damage from fallen trees on transmission lines. Lala's maximum sustained winds reached 75 mph, a Category 1 hurricane, with gusts over 100 mph recorded at higher elevations. Hilo International Airport and Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport, along with several commercial ports, were closed.