Hawaii Braces for More Rain and Wind as Tropical Storm Moke Nears
Hawaii Island is preparing for its second major storm in just one week. Tropical Storm Moke is now moving towards the Hawaiian islands. This comes after Hurricane Lala caused severe flooding and power outages last weekend.
On Saturday, residents of Hawaii Island got ready for the new storm. Tropical Storm Moke is expected to pass south of the island during the night and into Sunday morning.
As of 11 AM Hawaii Standard Time, Tropical Storm Moke was about 684 kilometers south of Hilo. Hilo is a city on the eastern coast of Hawaii Island. The storm was moving at 19 kilometers per hour towards the west-northwest. Its strongest winds reached about 85 kilometers per hour.
The US National Hurricane Center reported these details. They predict Moke will not directly hit Hawaii Island. However, the island is still recovering from Hurricane Lala.
Hurricane Lala was a Category 1 storm. It brought more than 1,000 millimeters of rain in some areas. This caused rivers to overflow. High winds also knocked down power lines. About 130,000 electricity customers lost power. Sadly, at least one person died in last weekend’s storm.
Hawaii Governor Josh Green asked people to prepare for Tropical Storm Moke. He urged everyone to stock up on food, medicine, and daily needs. Governor Green said the storm could have a “big impact” because the island is already weak from Lala.
The Governor has also set aside 100 hotel rooms. These rooms are for people who need safe shelter. Most power has returned to Hawaii Island after Lala. But some remote areas still have no electricity. Full power is expected by September 8.
Meteorologist Casey Oswant said Tropical Storm Moke will continue west near the islands until early Tuesday. The storm will bring 130 to 250 millimeters of rain to the southeast and windward sides of Hawaii Island. Some isolated spots could get up to 380 millimeters.
Eastern Maui might receive 76 to 150 millimeters of rain. Governor Green warned that more heavy rain is likely after Moke. He said another storm front will follow in about a week.
