Hurricane Lala weakens to a tropical storm, but flooding persists in Hawaii (aljazeera.com)

Hurricane Lala has weakened from a Category 1 hurricane to a tropical storm after passing south of Hawaii, but meteorologists warned that hurricane-force gusts could still batter the islands with flash flooding and punishing winds. On Saturday, the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) issued a hurricane warning for the Big Island, which has not suffered a direct hurricane landfall in 155 years. Recommended Stories list of 3 items list 1 of 3Storm Lala strengthens into a Category 1 hurricane as it nears Hawaii list 2 of 3One million evacuated as Typhoon Dolphin pummels east China: What we know list 3 of 3Typhoon Dolphin hits eastern China, more than one million evacuated end of list But as tropical storm winds soared west from Maui to Oahu and Kauai on Sunday, Hurricane Lala drifted past, edging the Hawaiian coast and just escaping primary impact zones. Still, pounding waves crashed against the shore of the Big Island. Wild squalls bent tall palm trees, and fierce sideways rain swelled rivers. Up to one metre (three feet) of rain was expected on higher windward slopes. Such a torrent could turn rivers into turbulent floods and cause life-threatening mudslides. The NHC said in an advisory published...