Waiohinu family's home wrecked by flooding from Hurricane Lala
A Hawai'i Island family lost most of their longtime home to flash floods from Hurricane Lala and is still living without running water or power — a hard reminder that recovery on the Big Island is far from over even as attention moves to Kauai.
- Flood water tore through the Kawakami family's Waiohinu home, sweeping away everything inside.
- A normally dry gulch behind the house swelled to three times its size and pushed boulders into the back walls, knocking the house off its foundation.
- All five people living there survived by fleeing to the garage, but two pet dogs were swept away.
- The family is getting by on donated goods, a two-burner gas stove for boiling water, and help from neighbors and volunteers.
Outlook: The family is setting up a GoFundMe to rebuild, but with no water or electricity restored, recovery in the area will take months.