HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026-08-14 EMERGENCY PROCLAMATION RELATING TO TROPICAL STORM LALA C.Kimo Alameda,Ph.D. William V.Brilhante,Jr.
Mayor aPi ' Managing Director
Merrick Nishimoto
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Deputy Managing Director
County of Hawaii - Office of the .Mayor
25 Aupuni Street,Suite 2603 • Hilo,Hawaii 96720 • Phone(808)961-8211 • Fax(808)961-6553
KONA: 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Hwy.,Bldg C • Kailua-Kona,Hawaii 96740
Phone(808)323-4444 • Fax(808)323-4440
EMERGENCY PROCLAMATION RELATING TO TROPICAL STORM LALA
By the authority vested in me as the Mayor of the County of Hawaii by the Constitution
and laws of the State of Hawaii, and by the Charter and ordinances of the County of Hawaii, to
prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies and disasters, I, C. KIMO ALAMEDA,
Mayor of the County of Hawaii, hereby proclaim as follows:
WHEREAS, Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS) Chapter 127A, provides for the
establishment of County of Hawaii (County) organizations for emergency management with the
Mayor having direct responsibility and authority over emergency management within the
County; and
WHEREAS, HRS Chapter 127A, and Hawaii County Code (HCC) Chapter 7, establish
a Civil Defense Agency within the County and prescribe its powers, duties, and responsibilities;
and
WHEREAS, HRS § 127A-14(b) empowers the Mayor to declare the existence of a local
state of emergency in the County by proclamation if the Mayor finds that an emergency or a
disaster has occurred or that there is imminent danger or threat of an emergency or a disaster in
any portion of the County, as those terms are defined in HRS § 127A-2; and
WHEREAS, the Charter of the County of Hawaii (CCH) § 13-23 and HCC § 7-1-7(a)
also empower the Mayor to declare a state of disaster or emergency by proclamation; and
WHEREAS, at 5:00 a.m. Hawaii Standard Time (HST) on Friday, August 14, 2026, the
National Weather Service (NWS) Central Pacific Hurricane Center issued Tropical Storm Lala
Advisory Number 9, reporting that Tropical Storm Lala (Lala) was centered approximately four
hundred twenty (420) miles east-southeast of Hilo with maximum sustained winds near sixty
(60) miles per hour, and forecasting that Lala will strengthen into a hurricane as it approaches
Hawaii Island on Saturday, August 15, 2026; and
WHEREAS, a Hurricane Warning issued by the NWS is in effect for the County,
meaning that hurricane conditions are expected somewhere within the County; a Flood Watch is
in effect for the County from Friday evening, August 14, 2026, through late Saturday night,
August 15, 2026; and a High Surf Warning is in effect for east-facing shores of the County from
6:00 p.m. Friday, August 14, 2026, to 6:00 a.m. Sunday, August 16, 2026; and
County of Hawaii is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer.
WHEREAS, the NWS advises that hurricane conditions are expected in the County on
Saturday, August 15, 2026, with potential winds of seventy-four (74) to one hundred ten (110)
miles per hour continuing until early Sunday morning, August 16, 2026; rainfall totals of eight
(8) to twelve (12) inches across the County, with ten (10) to fifteen (15) inches over windward
areas and localized maximum totals of up to twenty-five (25) inches possible; storm surge
flooding of one (1) to three (3) feet above ground if the peak surge occurs at the time of high
tide, accompanied by large and dangerous waves along the coast; swells reaching east-facing
shores on Friday and building through the weekend, with surf increasing from eight (8) to twelve
(12) feet Friday night to fifteen (15) to twenty (20) feet on Saturday; potential for a few
tornadoes; and near-critical to critical fire weather in dry leeward areas on Friday; and
WHEREAS, these conditions pose an imminent threat of injury or loss of life and of
substantial damage to public and private property throughout the County, and the NWS advises
that the winds may cause considerable damage, downed trees and power lines, and power and
communications disruptions, leaving locations uninhabitable for weeks; that the rainfall may
cause major flooding and mudslides, with road and bridge closures and impassable access routes
isolating communities; that the surge and swells may flood coastal areas, cause life-threatening
surf and rip currents, and make channel entrances dangerous; that tornadoes may damage
structures and vehicles; and that critical fire weather may contribute to wildfire in dry leeward
areas; and
WHEREAS, on August 13, 2026, the Governor of the State of Hawaii issued the
Proclamation Relating to Tropical Storm Lala declaring a state of emergency for the entire State
under HRS § 127A-14(a); and
WHEREAS, the forecasted scope and severity of Lala's impact across the County is such
that preparation, response, and recovery may exceed the capabilities of the County acting alone,
and may require assistance from other counties, the State, the federal government, or private
entities; and
WHEREAS, the invocation and exercise of emergency powers as stated herein are
reasonably necessary for the County to expeditiously and effectively prepare for, respond to, and
recover from Lala's forecasted impacts, and to otherwise protect the lives, property,
environment, public health, welfare, and safety of the County, its residents, visitors, and
businesses;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, C. KIMO ALAMEDA, Mayor of the County of Hawaii, hereby
declare that a local state of emergency exists under HRS § 127A-14(b), CCH § 13-23, and HCC
§ 7-1-7(a),because Tropical Storm Lala poses an imminent danger or threat of an emergency or
disaster to the County of Hawaii; and
I FURTHER DECLARE that based on the conditions described above, the following
measures are reasonably necessary to address the emergency or disaster:
I. Invocation of Laws. Pursuant to HRS § 127A-12(c)(17), the Mayor may take any
and all steps necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes of HRS Chapter
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127A, including the additional powers in HRS § 127A-13(b) which may only be
exercised during an emergency period. I hereby authorize and invoke the following
powers related to emergency management, if not already in effect:
A. HRS §§ 127A-12(a)(5), 127A-13(b)(3), 127A-13(b)(4), and HCC §§ 7-1-
7(d)(2) and 7-1-7(d)(4). I authorize and direct the Administrator of the
County's Civil Defense Agency, or his designee, to take appropriate actions to
direct or control the following, as may be necessary for emergency
management:
1. Alerts, warnings, notifications, activations;
2. Warnings and signals for alerts, and any type of warning device,
system, or method to be used in connection therewith;
3. Partial or full mobilization of personnel, in advance of, or in response
to, an actual emergency or disaster;
4. The conduct of civilians and the movement and cessation of movement
of pedestrians and vehicular traffic during,before, and after alerts,
emergencies, or disasters;
5. Shut off water mains, gas mains, or electric power connections, or
suspend other services; and
6. The mandatory evacuation of the civilian population.
B. HRS § 127A-12(c)(3). I authorize the Administrator of the County's Civil
Defense Agency to take possession of, use, manage, control, and reallocate
any public property of the County, real or personal, including parks,
playgrounds, and other public buildings, as required for the purposes of HRS
Chapter 127A, including for use as emergency shelters for persons evacuated
or displaced by Lala and as staging sites for emergency response personnel,
equipment, and supplies.
C. HRS § 127A-12(c)(4). I authorize the utilization of the services, materials,
and facilities of nongovernmental agencies, relief organizations,community
associations, and other private-sector and nonprofit organizations that may be
made available to assist in emergency response and recovery. However,
nothing in this invocation of HRS § 127A-12(c)(4) shall be construed as
acceptance, by the Mayor or any other authorized County personnel, of the
services of any individual person as a volunteer for the County under HRS §
127A-8. For purposes of HRS § 127A-8(c), the services of an individual
person may be accepted as a volunteer for the County only by the Mayor or
the Administrator of the County's Civil Defense Agency, or his designee, and
only upon express approval given in advance, on a case-by-case basis, and
documented in writing.
D. HRS § 127A-12(c)(5). I authorize the receipt, expenditure, and use of
contributions or grants, in money, property, or services, or loans of property,
and the procurement of federal aid, as may be available for the purposes of
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HRS Chapter 127A, including assistance available through the State and the
Federal Emergency Management Agency.
E. HRS § 127A-12(c)(6). I authorize the purchase, rental, lease, transport,
storage, installation, maintenance, repair, and distribution of materials and
facilities for emergency management, and the procurement of federal aid
therefor whenever feasible. I further find that, to the extent that emergency
procurement under HRS § 103D-307 or another available procurement
method is not feasible in the time and under the conditions presented by Lala,
HRS Chapter 103D and HRS §§ 103-50, 103-53, 103-55, 105-1 to 105-10,
and 464-4 impede or tend to impede the expeditious discharge of the County's
emergency management functions, and that compliance therewith is
impracticable due to existing conditions; and those provisions shall
accordingly not apply to those emergency management functions to that
extent. This paragraph does not relieve the County of any procurement
standard applicable to federally funded work.
F. HRS § 127A-12(c)(11). Each public utility, or any person owning,
controlling, or operating a critical infrastructure facility, is hereby required to
protect and safeguard the public utility's or the person's property, or to
provide for such protection and safeguarding; and provide for the protection
and safeguarding of all critical infrastructure and key resources; provided that
the protection and safeguarding may include the regulation or prohibition of
public entry thereon, or the permission of the entry upon terms and conditions
as I may prescribe.
G. HRS § 127A-12(c)(12). I authorize the Administrator of the County's Civil
Defense Agency, or his designee, to restrict the congregation of the public in
stricken or dangerous areas or under dangerous conditions, including beaches,
shorelines, coastal areas, streams and drainageways, low-lying and flood-
prone areas, and areas in or surrounding storm-damaged structures, that are
determined to pose a risk of injury or loss of life due to Lala.
H. HRS § 127A-12(c)(13). I authorize the Administrator of the County's Civil
Defense Agency to direct and control the non-compulsory evacuation of the
civilian population from coastal, low-lying, flood-prone, or other threatened
areas in advance of and during Lala, which may precede any mandatory
evacuation issued under HRS § 127A-13(b)(4).
I. HRS § 127A-12(c)(14), CCH § 13-21, and HCC § 7-1-6(a). I direct all
County agencies and officers to cooperate with and extend their services,
materials, and facilities as may be necessary to address the emergency or
disaster.
J. HRS § 127A-12(c)(15). I authorize the County to provide for the repair and
maintenance of public property whenever adequate provision therefor is not
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otherwise made and to make temporary restoration of public utilities and other
critical infrastructure facilities affected by Lala, including the emergency
clearance of debris from public roads and other public property and the
emergency repair of any County facility determined to require repair as a
result of Lala.
K. I direct the Director of Finance to administer the disaster and emergency fund
in accordance with CCH § 10-17, and to establish fund accounts in the County
treasury as necessary for the deposit and expenditure of monetary
contributions received pursuant to HRS § 127A-12(c)(5). Such contributions
or grants are deemed to be appropriated for the purposes of HRS Chapter
127A, or for the special purposes contemplated therein.
I FURTHER DECLARE that this Emergency Proclamation Relating to Tropical Storm
Lala shall terminate automatically sixty (60) days after its issuance, unless extended or
terminated by a separate or supplementary proclamation, in accordance with HRS §§ 127A-14(c)
and (d).
Done at the County of Hawaii,
this 14`h day of August 2026
�m
C. Kimo Alameda,PPh.D.
Mayor
County of Hawai`i
APPROVED AS TO FORM
AND LEG ITY:
Renee N.C. Schoen
Corporation Counsel
County of Hawaii
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