(BIVN) – The Hawaiʻi Police Department on Tuesday identified the woman who went missing in Nāʻālehu, and died, as Hurricane Lala impacted Hawaiʻi island.
Police say 93-year-old May Doi was found dead in the Ka‘ū District, after she was last seen on Friday before the storm. From a police news release:
Doi was last seen on Friday, August 14, 2026, at a residence located in the 95-1100 block of Maia Street in the Nāʻālehu Town Subdivision. Due to the extreme weather conditions associated with Hurricane Lala, Doi was reported missing to police. Officers and emergency personnel conducted a search for Doi, and she was subsequently located deceased.
The circumstances surrounding Doi’s death are being investigated. Based on the preliminary investigation, her death appears to be related to the effects of Hurricane Lala and the extreme weather conditions associated with the storm. Foul play is not suspected.
An autopsy is scheduled to determine the exact cause of death.
Officials announced the death during a Monday news conference held in Hilo, although Doi was not identified by name. The news conference was held immediately following Governor Josh Green’s assessment of the hard-hit Kaʻū region.
“While we were there, the police did discover the lost soul, the 90-year-old woman, that perished in the flood,” Governor Green said. “Her family will be alerted. Nāʻālehu is a very small town. Everyone’s already coming together and grieving.”
Police say anyone with information about this case may provide it directly to Detective Donovan Kohara of the Area II Criminal Investigation Section at (808) 326-4646, ext. 3238, or by email at donovan.kohara@hawaiipolice.gov.
