May 22, 2018 Lava Fissures Pumping
Lava from the current Leilani Estates flow on the Big Island of Hawaii continues to pour into the ocean just southwest of Pohoiki. Numerous fissures continue to spew lava, some fountaining, others oozing. Fissure 13 at the bottom of Kahukai in Leilani reactivated, sending lava across Pohoiki Road and into the old state Geothermal test site, destroying a small warehouse. Other outbreaks in Leilani were at Bohea .. a flow that appears to have flowed on top of the huge May 6th Luana flow. The fissures seemed to be settling down to an area just south of the PGV Geothermal plant… fissure 20, and building cinder cones… but today she ventured uprift. Also, Ikaika Marzo reports that a fissure has opened halfway between Fissure 22 and the ocean, and that there is a hot spot on Chain of Craters Road! If true, those are HUGE developments… we will follow up tomorrow morning and let you know what we discover. Both a’a and pahoehoe flows continue to pour over the sea cliffs in great volume just southwest of Pohoiki. Numerous fingers of lava have stretched toward the sea over the past two days, covering many properties… destroying some homes, and sliding by others. Dozens of homes have been destroyed since the eruption began nearly three weeks ago. Although it began in Leilani and burned several homes there, she soon established her vents below the subdivision with towering fountains, spatter cones feeding gigantic lava flows. So far, no deaths have been reported. Pohoiki Road and Highway 137 have both been covered with lava, but Highway 132 is still open as of this writing. Mahalo to the kind folks at Paradise Helicopters… they offer the finest charters in the islands! Leilani the Hula Girl, Fireman Ducky, Bruce Omori, David O. Baldwin and I had a terrific overflight! Aloha kakahiaka!
Mahalo to Paradise Helicopters and Bruce Omori at Extreme Exposure