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Hawaiʻi Gov. Josh Green and Hawaiʻi County Mayor Kimo Alameda gave an update on the impacts from Hurricane Lala to Hawaiʻi Island Monday afternoon. The press conference wasn't live streamed due to internet and connectivity issues that are still impacting the island.
Officials did a flyover to survey the damage across the island and did a walkthrough of Nāʻālehu. The Kaʻū district was the hardest hit area on the island.
One fatality has been confirmed.
"While we were there, the police did discover the lost soul, a 90-year-old woman that perished in the flood," Green said. "So there does appear to be one fatality directly related to the flood. Her family will be alerted. Nāʻālehu is a very small town. Everyone's already coming together and grieving."
Hawaiʻi Fire Department Chief Dan Volpe said crews looked for her when she was reported missing, but were unable to locate her. This afternoon, she was found when specialized rescue crews were able to access the area.
All public schools, county offices, and state offices on Hawaiʻi Island will remain closed on Tuesday. Officials said keeping residents off the roads is critical to allowing utility workers and road clearance crews to work. Some schools in Nāʻālehu, Pāhala and other areas of Kaʻū will be closed for longer due to extensive damage.
Green added that public workers who must stay home to care for children because of the school closures will be accommodated with personal leave and will not face penalties.
The Kaʻū Hospital in Pāhala is not safe to access yet. Department of Transportation crews are working on creating an easier access to it.
"The hospital itself is looking good, and it's probably just going to need to have its power restored permanently. Right now, it's running on generators, which is fine," Green said.
The Kaʻū and Pāhoa health centers operated by the Hawaiʻi Island Community Health Centers will also be closed on Tuesday. Patients with appointments will be contacted for rescheduling.
Officials said that despite the large amount of debris, in general, structures across the island were relatively intact. Several bridges that were of concern weren't as badly damaged as they were thought to be.
A county cemetery in Nāʻālehu suffered severe damage, with graves and assets unearthed by the storm. Green mentioned iwi kūpuna were also disbursed, so people should be respectful of that and honor the area.
Volpe said fire crews had difficulty accessing some areas after the storm, but the state and county has made progress since the storm to clear the roadways. He added it might take additional time for crews to respond to a call due to road conditions. All fire stations on the island, except for Station 11 Alpha in Nāʻālehu, are open and operating as normal.
Police Chief Reed Mahuna said additional resources have been moved to Kaʻū to ensure everyone's safety. He requested residents to stay off the roadway and don't travel unless absolutely necessary.
Maj. Gen. Stephen F. Logan said approximately 240 National Guard soldiers and airmen that have been activated to help. About 73 of them are on the Big Island assisting with state and county officials.
Courts and Judiciary facilities on Hawaiʻi Island will remain closed Tuesday. All hearings and trials scheduled for Tuesday on Hawaiʻi Island will be rescheduled. The deadline for all court filings due Tuesday will be extended until Wednesday.
