Flooding initially cut off Pahala, home to Kaʻū Hospital, before crews cleared an emergency route into the community Monday morning. Hospital spokesperson Elena Cabatu told the Chronicle that restoring access was critical for bringing fuel, food and medications to the facility, where staff had remained since Saturday.

The Hawaii Dept. of Transportation said emergency access between Pahala and Hilo had been restored along Route 11, although portions remained restricted to a single lane and the agency recommended four-wheel-drive vehicles and essential travel only. Kaalaa Stream, Keaiwa Stream and Paauau Gulch bridges had reopened, while Ninole Stream Bridge remained closed because of water and debris.

Flooding had washed away a section of Route 11 between mile markers 49.3 and 49.4 in Pahala by Sunday afternoon, HDOT said. The roadway itself was gone at the damaged section, although the bridge structure remained intact. Naalehu also was temporarily isolated as flooding, debris and downed utility lines blocked other portions of the highway.

The highway and bridge damage followed extraordinary rainfall on Hawaii Island. National Weather Service meteorologist Patrick Blood told the Associated Press that Laupahoehoe recorded 43.54 in. of rain, while a gust atop Mauna Kea reached 140 mph. At lower elevations across the islands, sustained winds reached 30 to 40 mph with gusts as high as 60 mph. With Lala moving west Monday, Blood said the immediate weather threat had largely passed. “There’s no real looming hazards that we’re facing now,” he said.

Power failures remained another major recovery challenge. AP reported that more than 200,000 homes and businesses lost power during the storm, while downed trees, poles and electrical lines contributed to blocked roads and complicated access for repair crews. More than 100,000 customers remained without power Monday morning on Hawaii Island, where some of the hardest-hit rural communities could face extended outages.

Looking for quick answers on construction and engineering topics?
Try Ask ENR, our new smart AI search tool. Ask ENR →

AccuWeather on Monday estimated Lala caused $3 billion to $5 billion in total damage and economic losses across Hawaii, a preliminary figure that includes direct property and infrastructure damage as well as business interruptions, supply-chain effects, flight delays, emergency costs and tourism losses. AccuWeather said its estimate remained preliminary because some areas had not yet reported complete information on damage and other storm impacts.

“Flooding, some of it severe, was the biggest impact from Lala, but widespread power outages, travel disruptions, damage to property and infrastructure, business interruptions and tourism losses all add to the economic toll,” AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter said. He said prolonged outages and damaged roads also could extend the storm’s effect on Hawaii’s tourism industry.

Transportation damage extended beyond Hawaii Island, although the most severe problems identified Monday remained concentrated there. HDOT reported fallen trees and debris affecting roads on Maui and landslide-related restrictions on Oahu, while crews continued clearing affected routes. The state’s principal aviation and maritime facilities had returned to operation, with commercial airports and harbors open Monday.

Maui Kona Storm Damage: Roads Collapse, Bridges Fail, Lahaina Floods Again

Lala passed about 30 miles south of Hawaii Island as a Category 1 hurricane Saturday without making landfall before weakening to a tropical storm Sunday. Despite the near miss, rainfall rates reached 4 to 5 in. per hour in some areas, according to AccuWeather, contributing to flash flooding and mudslides.

As cleanup began Monday, state emergency officials warned that recovery work itself presented hazards from downed electrical lines, generators and heavy equipment.

“Many casualties often happen after the disaster,” Hawaii Emergency Management Agency Director Randy Collins told reporters, according to the Guardian. “As people are cleaning things up, they’re working with heavy equipment, chainsaws, generators. They’re working around downed power lines and so forth.”