India, Aug. 17 -- Hurricane Lala weakened to a tropical storm Sunday, raking Hawaii even without making landfall, with heavy rains and winds sweeping around 100 homes off their foundations on Big Island, officials said.

Gov Josh Green said no one is believed to have died when the homes washed away. Earlier, a search-and-rescue mission was launched in the coastal communities of Na'alehu and Wai'ohinu, near the Big Island's southern tip.

Green spoke at a news conference as the storm continued to punish the islands with strong gusts and pounding rain, reaching a total of nearly 1 metre in places.

He said its not clear if a vehicle wreck that killed one person Saturday in the South Point area of the Big Island was storm related.

Storm bri...