Hawaiʻi’s request for Presidential Emergency Declaration approved following Tropical Cyclone Lala

Gov. Josh Green today announced that President Donald Trump has approved Hawaiʻi’s request for a presidential emergency declaration following Tropical Cyclone Lala, authorizing federal assistance for Hawaiʻi County, Maui County and the City and County of Honolulu.

The declaration authorizes the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures under Title V of the Stafford Act. The assistance is intended to save lives, protect property and public health and safety, and lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in the designated areas.

FEMA is specifically authorized to provide emergency protective measures under Category B of the Public Assistance program, limited to direct federal assistance, at 75% federal funding.

“Mahalo to President Trump, Secretary Mullin and our federal partners for acting quickly on Hawaiʻi’s request,” said Green. “This approval gives us access to specialized personnel, equipment and technical support that will help protect our communities, restore essential services and address the urgent needs created by Tropical Cyclone Lala. We will continue working side by side with our federal, county and community partners until every affected neighborhood is safely on the road to recovery and healing.”

The state will work with FEMA and other federal agencies to deploy requested resources based on operational needs. Those requests include:

• Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team personnel and other specialists to assist with the recovery, identification, documentation and respectful reinterment of human remains displaced at Nāʻālehu Cemetery.
• Large-capacity emergency generators and federal technical and logistical support for critical facilities and essential services.
• Federal experts and equipment to establish microgrids or comparable temporary power systems until permanent electrical service is restored.

Tropical Cyclone Lala brought approximately 20 to 40 inches of rain to some areas, causing severe flooding, runoff and landslides. Initial reports indicated that hundreds of homes were damaged or destroyed and that roads and bridges were damaged or washed out.

Kaʻū experienced some of the storm’s most severe impacts. Flooding and infrastructure damage disrupted access along Hawaiʻi Belt Road, while extended power and communications outages affected water systems, medical access and emergency operations. A severe slope failure at Nāʻālehu Cemetery also displaced human remains, creating an urgent cultural, public health and operational challenge.

At the height of the storm, approximately 200,000 customers across Hawaiʻi Island, Maui and Oʻahu lost power. State, county and utility crews continue working to restore services, repair infrastructure, clear debris and support affected residents.

“HIEMA is working closely with the counties of Hawaʻi, Maui, and Honolulu, to coordinate state and federal resources in support of locally identified priorities,” said HIEMA Administrator David Lopez. “This emergency declaration strengthens our ability to help counties sustain life-safety operations, restore essential services and reach communities affected by severe flooding, infrastructure damage and prolonged outages. Our focus is ensuring that assistance is coordinated, responsive and delivered where it is needed most.”

The emergency declaration supports immediate response operations. State and county teams will continue assessing damage and unmet needs to determine whether additional federal recovery assistance should be requested.

“This emergency declaration will bring critical federal resources to communities impacted by Hurricane Lala and help with restoring essential services, clearing debris, and repairing damaged infrastructure,” said US Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i). “We will continue working with Gov. Green, county leaders, and the administration to make sure Hawaiʻi gets the support it needs to recover.”