A young green sea turtle fills up on grass as ocean waters start to rise due to the approach of Tropical Storm Lala at Reed's Bay in Hilo, Hawaii on August 14, 2026. [AFP]
The eye of Hurricane Lala brushed past the southern part of Hawaii's Big Island on Saturday, as heavy rain and strong winds struck the US Pacific state and officials warned of potentially dangerous flooding.
"Hurricane conditions will persist on the Big Island of Hawaii overnight, with the strongest winds expected in areas of higher terrain," the National Hurricane Center said at 8:00 pm local time (0600 GMT Sunday), warning that the coast would be hit with "large and dangerous waves."
Lala strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane earlier in the day, generating winds of up to 75 miles per hour (120 kilometers per hour).
The hurricane approached Hawaii County, which covers the Big Island, and a tropical storm warning was in place for the state's seven other major islands: Maui, Molokai, Kahoolawe, Lanai, Oahu, Kauai and Niihau.
Lala came within 30 miles southwest of South Point on Big Island in the afternoon but did not make landfall.
The hurricane is moving toward the northwest and the general motion is expected to continue overnight, NHC officials said.