Floodwaters from Hurricane Nolo Recede in Naalehu, Hawaii
Floodwaters from Hurricane Nolo receded in Naalehu, Hawaii, on Sunday, revealing damage in a community still recovering from Hurricane Lala.
Floodwaters left behind by Hurricane Nolo began pulling back in Naalehu, a community on the southern tip of Hawaii's Big Island, on Sunday, September 27, 2026.
The receding water exposed a landscape already scarred by severe weather. In one part of the town, a couple waited for battery cables to jump-start their truck, parked near the site where a home had been destroyed during Hurricane Lala last month.
The scene reflected the layered toll of back-to-back storms on the area. Hurricane Lala had already caused destruction in Naalehu before Hurricane Nolo brought fresh flooding, leaving residents to contend with the aftermath of two major weather events in quick succession.
With the waters from Nolo now withdrawing, attention in the community turns to the immediate tasks of recovery, including clearing debris and restoring access for residents whose vehicles and properties were affected.
Naalehu, located in the Kau district of Hawaii County, is among the southernmost communities in the United States. The repeated hits from Lala and Nolo have underscored the vulnerability of the region to extreme weather.