Gov. Green requests Presidential Emergency Declaration following Hurricane Lala

Gov. Josh Green today signed a formal request asking the White House to issue a presidential emergency declaration for Hawaiʻi following Hurricane Lala.

The request covers Hawaiʻi County, Maui County and the City and County of Honolulu. It seeks immediate federal assistance to protect public health and safety, as well as to maintain essential services and support communities still recovering as Tropical Storm Moke approaches.

“Hurricane Lala caused severe damage across our state and placed an extraordinary strain on communities already recovering from previous disasters,” said Green. “I have been in direct contact with the White House and Cabinet officials, including Homeland Security Secretary Mullin, to advocate for the urgent assistance Hawaiʻi needs. We are asking for specialized federal resources to protect our communities, care for our people and keep essential services operating while another storm approaches.”

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

The rural Kaʻū District experienced some of the most severe impacts. Flooding and infrastructure damage disrupted access along Hawaiʻi Belt Road, the primary highway serving the region, while extended power and communications outages affected water systems, medical access and emergency operations.

On Oʻahu, heavy rain, high winds, flooding, debris, power outages and communications disruptions affected transportation, essential services and public safety operations.

Severe slope failure at Nāʻālehu Cemetery also disinterred human remains, creating an urgent cultural, public health and operational challenge that requires specialized mortuary resources.

At the height of the storm, approximately 200,000 customers across Hawaiʻi Island, Maui and Oʻahu lost power. Although service has largely been restored on Maui and Oʻahu, approximately 11,290 customers on Hawaiʻi Island remained without electricity when the request was submitted. In some severely affected areas, restoration may extend through Sept. 8. 

The state is requesting federal Public Assistance Category B emergency protective measures and Direct Federal Assistance, including:

• Deployment of Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team personnel and other specialists to assist with the recovery, identification, documentation and reinterment of human remains.
• 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 interim power systems until permanent electrical service is restored.

The request notes that state and county personnel have conducted search-and-rescue operations, opened shelters, cleared debris, restored emergency access, assessed infrastructure and coordinated with nonprofit, utility and private-sector partners.

US Sens. Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) and Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawai‘i) and US Reps. Ed Case (D-Hawai‘i) and Jill Tokuda (D-Hawai‘i) released the following statement of support after the governor’s request:

“An emergency declaration is critical to ensuring Hawaiʻi has the federal resources it needs to continue recovering from Hurricane Lala. On Hawaiʻi Island, communities are still experiencing power outages and damaged infrastructure, while local resources continue to be stretched thin by the recovery effort. Additional emergency federal support will help the state and counties immediately restore essential services, clear debris, repair critical roads, and support people affected by the hurricane.

“With another storm approaching, it is especially important that these recovery efforts continue without delay. We urge swift approval of Governor Green’s request for an emergency declaration and the additional federal assistance it will provide.”

Hawaiʻi is also continuing recovery work related to the Kona Low storms and the magnitude-6.0 earthquake that struck the Kona region in May. Those successive disasters, combined with Lala and the approaching Tropical Storm Moke, have placed additional demands on state and county personnel, equipment and financial resources.

The signed emergency declaration can be found here.