Concern for Leilani Estates as lava moves eastward underground

[WestCoastGal]

Just checked out Kipuka and very nice place. That's really bad news for them. 

Not a given but from what it looks like, Kapoho Bay will be the end point for that lava channel. I remember hearing that Shane's dock at Isaac Hale Park was damaged, and flows look like lava could potentially reach both the Pohoiki Warm Spring and the Ahalanui warm or hot pond. All great recreational and tourist spots. Given the damage to tourism already to the area, losing these too would just be terrible. 

[Dave-Vero]

Going back a bit to Redbeard, this eruption is more or less typical of what built the entire Hawaiian archipelago, going past the specks of Midway and Kure.  It's all been a series of very closely related volcanoes, all at the same place, with the Earth's oceanic crust gliding by.   On a close-up scale, geologists are emphatic that Kilauea is not just a branch of Mauna Loa; it's connected to Mauna Kea and other older volcanoes.   One can assume that the older islands looked somewhat like present-day Hawaii, though the scattered layout of Maui Nui (greater Maui) is rather different from the single big mound of Hawaii.  

Hawaii's plants and animals have managed short-distance island hopping and many have put up with eruptions, not to mention tsunamis and enormous landslides.   Hawaiians came with Polynesian rats and pigs (and canoe plants) and seem, like the New Zealand Maori, to have been prone to set fires.  A number of birds went extinct.  

But overall, plants like the Ohia lehua trees will be pretty good colonizers of lava, though some non-native species may be better.  Ohia lehua is suffering from a "sudden death" disease that's concerning.  I think Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge used to be somewhat open to visitors (if difficult of access); it's now entirely closed, as are other forests.  

So much for explaining by someone with only a desk knowledge.  

[Dypsisdean]

I'm afraid it looks bad for Kipuka. Here's a screen shot from a video presentation that shows an outline of where the lava was (or possibly just a burning area) as of late afternoon. And if that is correct, and from what I can tell, it may have already been gone at that point.

Not official, and I hope I (or the map) am/is wrong.

[Hilo Jason]

4 hours ago, Justin said:

Damn, that's crazy.

I'm not sure how many PT members live in Kapoho, but didn't Pauleen Sullivan have a place there with a great garden?  Also, I feel for Jan Anderson, owner of Kapoho Kai Nursery, which looks like it is in the crosshairs tonight.

This is all surreal. I can't believe how fast this is moving and what it's taking with it. Before this activity happened I was planning a trip to Jan Anderson's nursery for the first time. And was hoping to see the former Sullivan garden in person. I can't believe it might already be gone as I type this!  A very big reminder that this life and the work we do can be very temporary. 

As far as other palmtalk members, didn't Sergio (GotPalms) just recently buy a place in the Kapoho area?  I think he posted some photos not too long ago. 

[WestCoastGal]

Yes, thinking about all the places you would have liked to have visited on Puna that are now gone is mind-boggling. All in what 4 weeks, one month. 

----

Here's today's Big Island Video News (civil defense) video reports. The flow coming down in to Kopoko Bay looks very wide. Feeling very little may be spared. From Saturday night:

 

This was kind of an interesting overview of the action in the past, a video compilation of the lava as it progressed with map views of where it happened:

Off to breakfast but not looking forward to seeing reports from Puna later this morning once they start being published.

[WestCoastGal]

In this second screen grab below from the Big Island Video News last night, this looks to be Orchid Plantation adjacent Hwy 137 and south of Green Lake Fruit Stand and directly west of Kapoho Joe's to give you some perspective. This would be on the outskirts of town kind of and I had thought the flow was going to be following more of the decent line to Kapoho Bay. The volume of the flow down to the ocean must be so high that it's able to spreading quite wide and in a solid line across. Kipuka would be located directly to the east (right) of Orchid Plantation 1-1/2 streets over. Pretty sure from the first screen grab it's gone. 

Anyone know if the development just south of Kapoho Joe's Beach House by Kapoho Bay, is owned by Hawaii Life, the same realtors that were doing episodes on HGTV called "Hawaii Life"? If so, that's going to be a big hit for them financially if the lava continues in their direction. 

I hope everyone evacuated from the area. However from last night's Talmadge Magno report it sounded to me like a handful of people were refusing to leave. I just checked Travis Sanders' fb account (LavaNews) and not seeing any update from him/or Shane on rescuing anyone by boat. It's 8:30am HST now. 

[MattyB]

As far as we know, Kipuka(former Sullivan garden) is gone. I’ve circled it on the picture below from yesterday. I became friends with Mark Frost through PalmTalk and followed along on Facebook as he built all the bamboo houses and turned the property into an eco resort. Mark was generous enough to invite Jen and I over to stay for a week coinciding with a HIPS meeting there at the property. It’s a sad day and I’ll never forget that experience.  Real bummed for Mark. 

[WestCoastGal]

Apparently a few people were rescued from Kapoho. Just saw this a few minutes ago from Mileka Lincoln's fb page. And Government Beach Road was crossed. Iliani Road mentioned below is the street just to the right of Kipuka. 

For the overflight video go to her fb page ( https://www.facebook.com/pg/milekalincoln.hnn/posts/?ref=page_internal ). Video from 7:30 am HST.

[Justin]

I never got to see that place, even though I've been here over 7 years.  Just a daily reminder to not take the future for granted - live in the present.

[WestCoastGal]

Mileka is/was at Isaac Hale Beach Park this morning and had this report and flyover video from Saturday of a few Kapoho residents waiting to be rescued down there at the designated evacuation spot. 

https://www.facebook.com/milekalincoln.hnn/videos/1801224859936400/

I did notice a Commentor on Travis' fb page on the post regarding the boat rescue offer say that the military went into the area this morning. And BTW also saw a post there from Axel Kratel saying that they need to do a boat rescue for both residents and the animals left behind. Oh and down further in the comments on that same post, 2 hours ago Lava News indicated tht no one was at Pohoiki this morning. Said they'd be back there tomorrow morning. They're taking the night off. Can't stand watching all the beautiful homes burning down. Reporting that the current flow is at the gate of Vacationland. https://www.facebook.com/pg/lavanews/posts/?ref=page_internal

 

 

 

[Keith N Tampa (ex SoJax)]

What a mess.  So many lives disrupted, so much geography re-platted.  Volcanology is interesting, but the damage is just awful.  

 

[MattyB]

Kipuka is half buried in this pic

[WestCoastGal]

Saw this Visitor post on Travis' fb page (LavaNews) from fb Tim Bell, a Leilani resident, asking for help locating any other video/pics. There's the Flickr account aerial photos from the Hawaii County Civil Defense that maybe would be of help but I'd be at a loss to probably identify Kaupili. If someone on fb can help him out or point him to the site ( https://www.flickr.com/photos/141970887@N04/albums/with/72157697096868235 ) I'm sure he'd appreciate hearing from you. Here's his post:

Maybe he has insurance and needs photo confirmation to get his claim process started.

[WestCoastGal]

Saw this series of comments on fb Lava News rescue offer post. Hopefully the 2 men and one woman mentioned in Mileka's post (above in thread) were these same people. Hate to think of anyone trapped and left behind. Not able to post a response to James King about this and hoping David Shapiro will update. 

I think it was during one of Talmadge Magno's (Hawaii Civil Defense) video updates that he said they rescued someone along Hwy 132 or maybe 137 that had spray painted on their lawn S.O.S. While we value human life above anything else it's got to be very expensive for Civil Defense or the military/National Guard/Fire Dept. to go in with teams and/or helicopters to bring people out. And surely frustrating on some emotional level as well to have to do so because people didn't stay aware or wouldn't/couldn't evacuate in a timely fashion. With Hawaii taking a big hit on this and we're only 1 month into this, I do hope people will at least consider traveling to the other islands if they aren't comfortable going to the Hilo side or Kona side of the Big Island.

 

[WestCoastGal]

Ryan Finlay (fb Hawaii Tracker groups) made this post on the Kapoho area 3 hours ago. More photos in his post. 

 

 

 

[MattyB]

So sad to see these up close shots of Kipuka about 3/4 gone.

[WestCoastGal]

Russel Brewty, shared some amazing photos on the Hawaii Tracker group fb page and I wanted to share his Instagram link with you guys so you can really zoom in and see them plus he took other photos of the eruption sites that are only on his Instagram page. On fb he posted this was his first trip up Mauna Kea. They expected to see the Milky Way but didn't know what they'd see of Kilauea. He commented that the Kilauea glow was not clearly visible to the naked eye but popped in a 20sec exposure.

https://www.instagram.com/russelbrewtyphotography/

 

 

[WestCoastGal]

Anyone familiar with these type of air sensors from PurpleAir?

https://www.purpleair.com/sensors

came upon them when I saw an air quality map for the Big Island done yesterday showing the high reading for Volcano at 4pm HST on Saturday: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2033863120017585&set=gm.992808444218307&type=3&theater&ifg=1

Decided to generated this one for the past hour:

Seems to me it just measures particulate matter in the air. We live in an area with a lot of construction going on right now and our cars get caked with dust just sitting outside to the point that we hate to open even the windows to prevent all the dirt (and pollen) from entering the house. We'd probably be cleaning the sensors all the time. I could see this being helpful in areas with refineries nearby in the bay area or ash on the Big Island. Is this the same type of device that measures air quality on weather maps? Never gave thought to what they use. 

 

 

[realarch]

Matt, those photos certainly make one pause after spending many happy hours with the owner and in that garden. What a body blow emotionally.

Jan Andersons garden and nursery is just out the frame and now might be gone as well. Unbelievable.

Tim

[WestCoastGal]

Here's what may be Scott's last video for a while. All access to the Red Zone is no more. Sounds like we are relying on gov't/military info for Leilani at this point and assume media will be given certain access. Wonder how much info Ikaika will be able to get and pass on being he's been instrumental in the community for awareness and working with officials I think and also running the Info Supply Hub (btw I don't have any access to his fb account as it's not shared, so relying on you fb members to pass on info you might find there). Unless something occurs near the older fissures near Malama, everything else is in the restricted zone right now. I was thinking this was going to happen. We still have photos and aerial videos posted by Hawaii County Civil Defense and flyovers shared by Mick Kalber. Hey @Justin, your tree is looking like a good option now for a live feed cam!

 

[Justin]

I understand what they're doing, but if they're going to basically split LE into two parts, I don't see why the "open" part is only partly open - what is the necessity for a curfew?  As long as we have power, cable, internet, phone, etc., we'll know immediately if - for whatever reason - lava starts coming this way, even if 3am.  As it is, the open part of the neighborhood is going to quickly go to crap, as everything will be overgrown and dilapidated in short order.  Just on my street, the grass and weeds have grown a ton in the last month, and there's nobody taking care of anything any more.  Just in the last two days, I've seen roughly 20% of the traffic I was seeing prior.  If even 2 cars pass by my house an hour, that's a lot.

[WestCoastGal]

Since Kim and I'm sure others haven't been able to make it back to their houses (which are still fine but in the Red Zone) because they were away from the Big Island, I wonder if they will at least be escorted in to retrieve some things.

[WestCoastGal]

Ryan Finlay (fb Hawaii Trackers group) just posted this about Kupono Street. 

 

Had to look at the map again and I see Kupono is on the backside of the Community Center.

Interesting that F9 which is closer to Malama than F8 is starting to heat up. Makes me think that F8 which has been pumping out a tremendous amount of lava for days now, maybe can't handle all the flow (thinking coming from downward pressure of flow from the Summit against any left from Pu'uO'o that hasn't spewed out yet). The fact this is backing upwards to the south of LE has me more concerned about Hwy 130 road crack plates which have stayed hot.

A renewed agressive fountaining at F9 would most likely flow down Kupono and flood the surrounding streets on it's way northward toward Kahukai since there's essentially a tall wall of lava created from the F8 eruptions so F9 lava would have no where else to go. Not good. Especially if this is a trend of backing up and out of Leilani Estates. That area at Pomaikai and Malama had severe widening of cracks, very deep crevices, and steaming just last week and if it erupted again would be right at the far left current Red Zone evac line. Also getting closer to Karolyn's (Bo's old property) too which I believe has been untouched still. Something to watch out for.

Additional thoughts: If F9 goes like F8, here's the bigger picture -- of homes currently standing and I think in pretty good shape that will be at risk now. I remember Scott driving down maybe Nohea the other day and looking to the sides of it. One side of the street towards Luana you could see the lava berm not far from the road he was on; ran a good length from what I remember and had some breakouts. On the other side of the street however the homes were fine, nice and green. YT Doing Hawaii posted a video of driving down Kupono the other day before it was shut off and same there, green. This development if it occurs I find even more frightening to think about.

 

 

Edited June 3, 2018 by WestCoastGal
added F9/8, Hwy 130 comments and F9/8 map and comments about possible F9 flow pattern and beyond.

[Gonzer]

2 hours ago, Keith in SoJax said:

5 hours ago, WestCoastGal said:

Yes, thinking about all the places you would have liked to have visited on Puna that are now gone is mind-boggling. All in what 4 weeks, one month. 

---

Here's today's Big Island Video News (civil defense) video reports. The flow coming down in to Kopoko Bay looks very wide. Feeling very little may be spared. From Saturday night:

 

This was kind of an interesting overview of the action in the past, a video compilation of the lava as it progressed with map views of where it happened:

Off to breakfast but not looking forward to seeing reports from Puna later this morning once they start being published.and gardens.  The most important thing is to stay safely out of her way.  

The first video left me awestruck and totally speechless, seeing fissure 8 (I  presume) in the background.

Edited June 3, 2018 by Gonzer

[WestCoastGal]

USGS video update for June 3. Posted 50 minutes ago.

Big Hawaii Video News gave this brief update as of 7:45am HST: "As of a 7:30 a.m. HST overflight, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory says lava was about 430 yards from the ocean between Kapoho Beach Road and Kapoho Kai Drive."

 

[Cindy Adair]

I am appreciative of all the fascinating posts even though the news is often sad.

Thanks to all who are updating in real time.

At the recent Biennial in Colombia so many had also dealt with recent cyclones, hurricanes (Harvey, Irma, Maria), fires, floods and droughts so know each region has its own risks.

We feel personally connected to the volcano area, with many fulfilling their dreams in Leilani and telling their stories here.

Please know we all care deeply.

 

[WestCoastGal]

11 minutes ago, Cindy Adair said:

I am appreciative of all the fascinating posts even though the news is often sad.

Thanks to all who are updating in real time.

At the recent Biennial in Colombia so many had also dealt with recent cyclones, hurricanes (Harvey, Irma, Maria), fires, floods and droughts so know each region has its own risks.

We feel personally connected to the volcano area, with many fulfilling their dreams in Leilani and telling their stories here.

Please know we all care deeply.

 

Cindy I have thought of you in Puerto Rico lately with all of this going on in Hawaii. I understand power is still spotty there. How are you doing where you are at? Continuing disasters across the U.S. certainly will be draining emergency funds and straining relief efforts to rebuild and I do wonder about continued efforts there. All the money that was raised for Haiti and I don't think they are much better off and they are certainly not in the news as media moves on to the next disaster to cover. I have a feeling this is going to be a bad year and we're not quite halfway through it yet.

[Vari805]

This whole event has been heart wrenching.  So much loss and change in landscape.

Latest video from Big Island Video News

http://www.bigislandvideonews.com/2018/06/03/video-kapoho-lava-flow-update-11-am-conference-call/

[WestCoastGal]

27 minutes ago, Vari805 said:

This whole event has been heart wrenching.  So much loss and change in landscape.

Latest video from Big Island Video News

http://www.bigislandvideonews.com/2018/06/03/video-kapoho-lava-flow-update-11-am-conference-call/

Interesting listen today. Especially their take on lack of quake activity in LE--essentially open plumbing. I was kind of surprised to see the flow had gone into the old crater. Very good aerial footage. Fissure 9 also discussed as well as 10, 11 and 12. Thanks for posting.

[WestCoastGal]

Mileka's fb page incorporates some of that same info including road and shelter info. It also adds, unless I missed listening to this in the Big Island Video News report, that "USGS says there have been 500 earthquakes reported over the past 24 hours near the Halemaʻumaʻu Crater summit. This is the highest level ever recorded for the summit area. The largest magnitude earthquake was around a 3.5. USGS says quake activity in the lower east rift zone is very low at this point. HVO geologists say summit quakes are the result of continued deflation of the crater. Experts say steam and ash eruptions are happening less, while earthquakes are happening more at the summit."

I see someone in her comment section asked where she got the 500 number from as they haven't come across that yet.

This map has been seen in a few of the video reports and articles today but here it is for anyone who hasn't had the time to look through everything. 

Map: US Geological Survey

I wonder if the lava front will cross the old 1955 flow. Continually amazed at how much volume is coming out and how much area is being claimed by it.

[tjwalters]

Sunday afternoon update: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDXICpKtKv4

[Hillizard]

Volcan de Fuego eruption in Guatemala today: "... strong eruption covers parts of Guatemala in ashes – Most powerful explosion in recent years"  http://strangesounds.org/2018/06/fuego-volcano-powerful-eruption-covers-guatemala-in-ash-second-explosion-in-2018-in-most-powerful-in-recent-years.html  and https://twitter.com/twitter/statuses/1003405483967963143

[WestCoastGal]

My husband just got home and said he heard on the news that were deaths associated with the Guatemalan eruption. Heard the ABC report on slacker in the car. Here's the online report. Really sad to learn of the deaths and missing and injuried. In some ways reminds me of Mt. Saint Helens with people watching it as it happened. Also a stratovolcano. Thankfully no one has died from Kilauea in this eruption.

https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/guatemala-volcano-blankets-nearby-villages-ash-55621487

[Justin]

I just saw Volcan de Fuego two months ago, during Easter Week, in Antigua.  It was/is such a picturesque city.  Even then the volcano was smoking, however.

I'm starting to think I'm bad luck.  If a volcano goes off in San Diego, that'll be my sign.

[WestCoastGal]

1 hour ago, Justin said:

I just saw Volcan de Fuego two months ago, during Easter Week, in Antigua.  It was/is such a picturesque city.  Even then the volcano was smoking, however.

I'm starting to think I'm bad luck.  If a volcano goes off in San Diego, that'll be my sign.

LOL, maybe you can’t leave a volcano area without it acting up. Seem to recall F8 sprang to life right after you left last time. Let’s not test this theory this time. 

BTW Big Island Video News is reporting that the Summit had 500 earthquakes last week, as Mileka had posted. http://www.bigislandvideonews.com/2018/06/03/video-500-earthquakes-in-24-hours-most-ever-at-kilauea-summit/

[WestCoastGal]

OMG look at this post by Mileka on her fb page of a photo of a lava fall into Green Lake in Kapoho Crater on Green Mountain as captured by Don Hurzeler!!!     This should win some National Geographic photo award.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10156554574691289&set=a.71864466288.86964.728556288&type=3&theater

 

 

 

 

 

[WestCoastGal]

Don’t recall if this video from USGS of the Halema’uma’u crater was posted already. It shows cracks around the rim, a widening of the rim, steam from various areas and debris that can be seen below the rim. Keep in mind this was more or less a bottomless pit that they couldn’t see the lava lake in not very long ago.

 

Saw this posted on KHON2 News. Happened at 18:50:48 local (6:50:48pm HST, 9:50:48 PDT)

 

[WestCoastGal]

KHON2 News had this video segment on the National Guard in Leilani Estates. Nice piece.

BTW they start off the segment by saying that as of today, 6/3, there have been 18 people who have been cited for by-passing check points and entering restricted zones.

[Dave-Vero]

The USGS Sunday morning bulletin noted "Fissure 9 is steaming heavily."  

As a stratovolcano, Fuego is dangerous, but its regular low-level activity might be something of a blessing.  Recently went to the Fuji World Heritage visitor center.  It's a very young cone, around 10,000 years.  http://www.pref.shizuoka.jp/kankyou/ka-070/fujisanpage/otherlanguage/en/nature2.html

[Dave-Vero]

Information from Guatemala seems fragmentary but the Volcán de Fuego disaster looks very bad, Guatemala's worst since 1902 when the Santa María volcano killed thousands.  While the known death and injury count is low, there's a chance that fatalities might be substantially higher.