Tropical Storm Moke barrels toward Hawaii, threatening up to 15 inches of rain and life‑threatening flooding just weeks after Hurricane Lala ripped through the islands.
Storm hits Hawaii as power outages linger
National Weather Service warns that heavy rain will impact the Big Island today and spread westward through Monday, creating life‑threatening floods and mudslides especially in windward and southeast areas still scarred by Lala.
Governor Josh Green asked the White House on Saturday to declare a presidential emergency for Hawaii County, Maui County and Honolulu, citing the need for federal support to protect public health, safety and essential services.
Hurricane Lala dumped 20 to 40 inches of rain across the islands on Aug. 15‑16, damaging hundreds of homes, washing out roads and bridges, and leaving about 200,000 customers without power at the storm’s peak.
Eleven thousand two hundred ninety customers on Hawaii Island remained without electricity after the request was filed, with full restoration potentially stretching to Sept. 8.
The Ka’ū District suffered the worst damage, with floodwaters ruining Belt Road, disabling water and medical systems, and triggering a cemetery slope failure that disinterred human remains.
State officials request emergency generators, technical and logistical assistance, mortuary experts and temporary microgrids while recovery from Lala continues.
Hawaii also continues rebuilding from a magnitude‑6.0 earthquake that struck Kona in May.
The central Pacific hurricane season runs June 1 through Nov. 30, peaking July‑September, according to NOAA.
