Concern for Leilani Estates as lava moves eastward underground

[Hilo Jason]

Last night was the first time I could actually see the glown of the lava and even splattering of one of the lava fountains from my deck!  And I'm on the north side of Hilo, probably 25-30 miles from where it's happening. I went outside several times up until about midnight and it was nonstop. Unbelievable and I can't imagine what it looks like from Bo's perspective and everyone else that is down in the action. 

On a sad note, one of the houses burned yesterday belonged to some friends of ours. They lived in a school bus on the land for the past 4 years while the husband built the home in between his construction jobs. They finally finished it and moved in just 4 months ago. And now it's gone. Heartbreaking!

Just in case anyone is interested in helping there is a go fund me page for them here: https://www.gofundme.com/95y8t-the-reid-family

[bgl]

35 minutes ago, WestCoastGal said:

Big Island Video News shows the newly paved Beach Road to make access easier for people. 

Their news part, Big Island News, is also reporting 4 homes were destroyed over night. 

Oh and saw this in my morning Honolulu Civil Beat's newsletter from AP.  4 Residents Airlifted after Hawaiian Lava Flow Isolates More Homes. How scary that must have been for them and thankfully they've been watching and had helicopters ready to go in to rescue them.

Moose if you see any aerial video posted, can you link to it. Heading out now but will try checking in off and on. Thanks. And hope your recovery is fast but it's nice it's giving you the opporunity to see this.

Yes, the National Guard helicopters were coming right over my house and I knew what was going on.

[WestCoastGal]

Hilo Jason sorry to learn of your friend's home being lost. I recall early on in the eruptions reading an interview from a guy who had been working on his home and was just finishing up putting wood flooring down, hadn't quite finished. Probably hurts extra hard when you've put the manual labor yourself into creating your dream home. And from what I've been reading housing is hard to find there. So much worse situation for people here since you don't have land to return to. Interesting you were able to see so much of the eruption from there. Maybe colored sky, but to actually see spattering from a fountain that far away is a testiment to how powerful those eruptions were last night.

I'm back for a bit and found this USGS flyover video over Fissure 20 from yesterday. Man the trail of lava and sadly you see alot more structures nearby in the image, in fact one looks like it might be burning in the midground. Here's a screen capture from the flyover video:

Video Photo capture from: US Geological Survey

https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/multimedia_uploads/multimediaFile-2058.mp4

As mentioned can here helicopters in the live feed in the background. Surprisingly it doesn't sound from USGS like the lava has travelled to far to the coast. Must be mainly spreading out at this point. Here's a link to the USGS Alert page from today. I see from the description that the consolodated F16-20 that it is very active and moving fast (300 yds per hour). A second flow from it is southward between Pohoiki and Opihikao Rds. (Guessing this is Pohoiki Rd and the Kamaili Rd/Opihakao Dr. roads towards the Malama-Ki Forest Reserve), which would make another possible flow heading towards 137 at the coast. F17 was very active fountaining and spattering last night but maybe more cone building than anything else. Hope they do another thermal imaging flyover today for comparison.

Fissures 16-20 are located near the SE corner of the PGV plant and past LaniPuna Gardens as a reference point. From the thermal map generated on yesterday you can see that F18 took a SE direction but not seeing this in the imaging of 16-20 so much although it has toes in that direction.

Map: US Geological Society

The Alert also indicates that the earthquake activity remains elevated and locations of them still in the same vicinity. 

[WestCoastGal]

Latest Fissure Map for 05/19/18 at noon HST/3pm PDT. Notice that in addition to F21 at Hookupu St. being active so is F4 at Kaupili St.

[WestCoastGal]

A few more videos and articles from activity last night/this morning:

From Hawaii News Now, video below on Fissure 17 claiming another home. Jason Hilo, not sure if this was your friend's but you can see it burst into flames. If he has homeowners insurance fire coverage, the State has been saying they think they should be insured. 

http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/clip/14360177/fissure-17-continues-to-erupt-near-lanipuna-gardens-claiming-another-home

As for aerial footage I found some on Mileka Lincoln's post about 3 hours ago on her fb account. It show the fast-moving pahoehoe crossing Pohoiki Road SE of Hinalo Street. Her description mentions, and I think this is in reference to Fissure 20 (which is the combo 16-20), that the flow has advanced 1,000 feet in under 1 hour. Direction would be toward Keahialaka, Malama Ki Forest Reserve and MacKenzie State Park. Here's the link to her video of the aerial footage:

https://www.facebook.com/milekalincoln.hnn/videos/1785628774829342/

[Moose]

Now I understand, the topographical downslope did not go directly towards the coast but appears to semi-parallel the coast at an angle. That is a tremendous amount of lava produced in a relative short duration. As Bo has said stated, this is a once in a lifetime occurrence. I feel for those whose lives have been altered because of the eruptions, but peace and serenity are not derived from material things.

[WestCoastGal]

Mileka Lincoln (Hawaii News Now reporter) has this aerial footage from Dave Okita posted to her Instagram account. Pretty sure this looks like the lava flow/erurptions down past LaniPuna Gardens.

 

[WestCoastGal]

For those not on the Live Feed from Honolulu Civil Beat, here's a just captured screen shot. That spatter cone that had been built up is really being torn apart by the lava flow. Interesting process. This would be Fissure 20 (16-20 combined).

Any news on F4 in Leilani that is listed as active again?

[Moose]

7 minutes ago, WestCoastGal said:

For those not on the Live Feed from Honolulu Civil Beat, here's a just captured screen shot. That spatter cone that had been built up is really being torn apart by the lava flow. Interesting process. This would be Fissure 20 (16-20 combined).

Any news on F4 in Leilani that is listed as active again?

I incorrectly referred to these as cinder cones when they are in fact splatter cones earlier today. Using the electrical line as a line of reference, I have seen them build up to and pass this line on several occasions, tumble or get worn away to get built up again. They would be very large by now if it was not for the rapid influence of the river of lava.

[WestCoastGal]

There are cinder cones in the area but yes the one above in the photo was formed by spatter. The main guy on the feed is talking about a brand new cinder cone, maybe down by Green Mountain. Kind of hard to hear at times since they aren't talking directly into the mic. The discussion with the landowner (mentioned below) is really in 2 parts, they have left the area for a bit so if you're interested in the discussion look for when he first arrives and they start talking.

Hey I was just following the chat and mic feed on Civil Beat and saw/heard 3 interesting things. First someone online chat said that 12 minutes ago there was a 3.0 at 0 km depth in Leilani. Second, a nearby farm land owner in person there now said he had lost 20% of his land down there (a bit further back in the recording before you hear him asked "hanging in there?"). Third just heard it's moving 300 yards an hour in one spot. They are going over a map and talking about the width and the flow of the eruptions.

Super interesting and wish we could see the map and their conversation. People can scrubing back to find the spot to listen. There's also a guy who walks infront of the camera a few times and blocks out the video feed for a second. Start listening there for the following. The guy at the house was saying that he was near a fissure the other day and all of his equipment was malfunctioning and that his phone melted. Really worth the listen. Most of the video doesn't have soundtrack so should be easy to find. Darn rooster crowing. He says Fissure 20 has connected with 16, 17, 18 and 19.

He's saying the USGS guys have heat shields with them. He mentioned that the areas down by Green Mountain has a cinder cone by the house--maybe this is F17. Sounds like massive amounts of lava have been flowing not only last night but through this morning. He points out a large flow going towards McKenzie State Park. Another person with a house around Pohoiki Road has a house burning right now. He said all the trees around Lanipuna Gardens have now burned down and you can see into that section.

I have a feeling residents in the area may be driving to the house for a view from it to see their property and its relation to the lava. Sounds like this guy did at least, and occasionally you hear other people over the days who I don't think are part of the journalists there filming this.

Someone on the chat said the fine for putting up a drone is 50K.

[WestCoastGal]

From the Civil Beat chat just now: "There has just been a report of someone being injured by a lava bomb near Fissure 17. Man on porch hit by lava spatter. Just reported on KHON2 youtube." Am trying to check it out. If true, I think that could be at or near the house by the big cone fissure.

Here's the story:

First injury that I'm aware of and from the sounds of it a bad injury to his leg. With temps of the lava spatter that hot, I don't doubt it. I wonder if they will report more on this. Hope it wasn't any of our filming guys. Maybe the same guys that were in that white SUV the house guys observed yesterday if they were still hanging around down there again near the fissures (pictures posted in thread above).

[WestCoastGal]

Latest update from Big Island Video News as of 4pm HST (7pm PDT), with flyover and other pertinent information.

http://www.bigislandvideonews.com/2018/05/19/video-3-pm-eruption-update-lava-flows-move-towards-sea/

includes new USGS map 5/19, 10am showing new flow fronts from last night. My fear would be that LE's fissures some of which are active, could start flowing like the ones near Hwy 132. Those widening cracks and uplifting we've seen recently just aren't good signs.

Oh and just learned what Laze Hazard is from the article. Fun stuff. 

Lava could reach Hwy 137 in 4-7 hours. Voluntary evac suggested.

 

[WestCoastGal]

If you don't care to read the Civil Defense article's (Big Island Video News) for the content here's Mick Kalber's video included there.

And here's the latest 10am map with the new flow fronts indicated.

Map: US Geological Society

The USGS Alert has been updated as of 4:13pm HST (7:13pm PDT). Eruptions of lava and ground cracking in LE continues. Beginning yesterday and today rate of lava flow has increased. 

[WestCoastGal]

Brandon Clement has his YT LIVE Feed set up over near the Summit now. His YT name is WXChasing. People should know there will be live feed from there in addition to Honolulu Civil Beat covering the Hwy 132 area. Wondering if Brandon will only film if there's something that happens and not maintain a constant feed.

Here's 2 short videos he took from the Summit area earlier today, each only a few minute long. BTW he was commenting he needed to try to change the title as it was only Steam/Ash eruption. 

 

 

[WestCoastGal]

Big Island Video News (Civil Defense) had this report one hour ago. Interview with USGS explaining the complicated nature of the volcano plumbing system.

http://www.bigislandvideonews.com/2018/05/19/video-hawaiian-volcano-observatory-updates-east-rift-lava-activity/

 

[Kim]

Maybe this has already been posted, I have not been keeping up today. The aerial footage here is ... wow, no words. These flows were reported to have been moving at 900 ft. per hour at one time, not sure if that is still true.

EDIT: I now see this video was posted in better resolution a few posts back by West Coast Gal --worth a watch.

Edit2: I have learned that friends have lost most of their efforts to farm upon land in this area. It breaks my heart to think of all the work they put in that is now mostly (completely?) up in smoke. I have a jar of honey from their orchards. It kills me to think what went into that little jar that is now all gone.

http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/38186017/new-fissure-opens-in-lower-puna-while-others-still-spewing-lava

[WestCoastGal]

Hi Kim, yes so much of that farm land in that middle "valley" area is just gone. My husband was quite shocked by the aerial footage of the lava stream and how vast it was. 

Just got back from dinner and tuned into Honolulu Civil Beat's live footage. Another spectacular night of red sky and striking lava eruptions. Here's a little screen grab I did a few minutes ago. 

And don't those images from that last helicopter flyover last night look so other worldly almost? The patterns are just amazing. I could see having those as prints on the wall although I'd be hard pressed to limit the number. Mick's an outstanding photographer.

Given how flowing this lava is still (think this is the combined Fissure 20), I have to wonder if something hasn't reached Hwy 137 by now. 

[WestCoastGal]

I see that Scott Wiggers (ApauHawaiiTours) has posted several new videos tonight. More Nohea and Moku views. Shows Leilani Estates is still an interesting place.

Interesting marks in the grass investigated.

And back to that car stuck in the crack back on Moku.

Lava Needles on Mohala flow.

 

[WestCoastGal]

As of 6:47pm HST (9:47pm PDT), Big Island Video News (civil defense) was reporting the lava front was about 1/2 mile from Hwy 137. Almost 2 hours have already passed since that report. Their map shows the positioning of the various lava fronts headed to the coast.

http://www.bigislandvideonews.com/2018/05/19/video-6-pm-eruption-update-lava-nears-highway-137-brush-fires-ignite/

 

[Dave-Vero]

http://www.bigislandvideonews.com/2018/05/20/midningt-eruption-update-lava-crosses-highway-132-enters-ocean/

[Moose]

Fissures 16-21 (which has been suggested are now combined) appear to have opened more and the quantity of lava being added to the lava river has increased. This is based upon monitoring the live feed for the previous three hours. Fissure 17 continues with it's significant explosive expelling of gases which is off screen but can be heard. Some were very loud but that could be partly that the live feed crew installed a higher grade microphone. He can hear their off screen conversations much better now.

[Cindy Adair]

Like so many I am both mesmerized and horrified by the events in Hawaii.

We may have had no utilities anywhere  in PR for awhile, but we had safe air to breathe and it was a discrete event.

Certainly makes Hurricane Maria’s visit seem minor in comparison to the uncertainty of an erupting volcano’s path.

I await the day when the experts feel it is low risk for residents to return and begin to recover.

 

[bgl]

Last night between 9 and 10 pm I was over on lower Kahukai Street, a short distance from where it connects with Leilani Avenue. I spent that hour on the back lanai of the house that's behind the three Alexandra palms in the photo I posted yesterday. I was there with a couple of other guys. Checking the map this morning I know that the constant fountaining we were witnessing was from F22, just about half a mile away from our vantage point. Unfortunately, despite trying a few different settings on the camera, I found it difficult to catch what we were seeing. It was as if the sensors on the camera were overwhelmed by all the light. But I am estimating that the lava probably erupted up to about 200 ft in the air. Incredibly impressive. It's difficult to make out the actual fountaining in this photo but it is of course right behind the tall Albizia tree.

[WestCoastGal]

Morning. Heading out for breakfast and the day and will be relegated to a phone with cell coverage so probably following but not posting much. Thought I'd show some early morning feed shots when they panned. Starting from the right near combo F20 going left to F17 and then settling back on combo F20.

 

[WestCoastGal]

5 hours ago, Dave-Vero said:

http://www.bigislandvideonews.com/2018/05/20/midningt-eruption-update-lava-crosses-highway-132-enters-ocean/

Thanks for that Dave-Vero. Haven't had a chance to check any news just hit the feed first thing. I was wondering if we'd hear that news on Hwy 137 by the time I woke up. I think everyone can still go out in either direction from the crossing point. Something to watch for during the day as to where the flows continue going. Should be some good aerial photos from the actual coastline when it starts to fall off the cliffs.

[Dave-Vero]

It looks as though the fresh, hot lava racing across the landscape might possibly be the grand finale of the current episode as the reservoir at the crater drains and USGS reports that the rift is quiet even as magma is moving.  

[Justin]

Fingers crossed Dave.  People keep assuming that this is going to erupt forever, but the last 35 years have been the aberration, not the norm.  The norm is to have eruptive events followed by years of nothing (and/or Mauna Loa eruptions).  I'm hoping that once this finishes, we have several years of time to recover and grow stronger.

[Kim]

Video by Shane Turpin from his FB page shows lava ocean entry.  https://www.facebook.com/lavaocean/videos/10216189401675722/?fref=gs&dti=357455554420269&hc_location=group_dialog

[WestCoastGal]

Let's hope for everyone in the area. Question is where the latest magma is that left the Summit is I guess.

in a very noisy restaurant waiting on food so no videos to listen to. Found this article on the homeowner who was hit by lava. I thought it was just going to be a severe burn but apparently it had some weight to it and traveling at that speed shattered his lower leg. Hit at kneecap. Article gives location which I think would be down by the house by the cone. Wonder if he lives in that house or another one out of frame. Very sad to have an injuy like this.

http://m.hawaiinewsnow.com/hawaiinewsnow/db/330510/content/x2c6FYaL

Looked up Noni Farms Road and it's located beyond Hwy 132, so that explosion traveled a good distance.

[Dypsisdean]

Some impressive and good quality ocean entry video.

https://www.facebook.com/lavanews/videos/206387286818243/

https://www.facebook.com/lavanews/videos/206375390152766/

[WestCoastGal]

1 hour ago, Kim said:

Video by Shane Turpin from his FB page shows lava ocean entry.  https://www.facebook.com/lavaocean/videos/10216189401675722/?fref=gs&dti=357455554420269&hc_location=group_dialog

Finally got to a quiet place to watch the video and ocean entry is always so cool to see. BTW Shane is a certified master class Coast Guard qualified captain for tour boats, or something like that, but highly qualified anyway, and had been doing lava boat tours there in Puna for many years. I looked him up awhile ago as people have mentioned his name but I never found photos/video from him of the Leilani eruption. Love to see him share his videos from this aspect that not many can. Thanks Kim for posting the fb link so we can all see. 

Long trip from Hilo by water. Wonder if they experience laze on that side of the steam.

[WestCoastGal]

42 minutes ago, Dypsisdean said:

Some impressive and good quality ocean entry video.

https://www.facebook.com/lavanews/videos/206387286818243/

https://www.facebook.com/lavanews/videos/206375390152766/

No doubt either people added this live feed at the time to their screens or the live lava feed took a loss of views. Love the 2nd video with the rainbow added. Too bad we couldn't see much of the lava fountains in the background.  Thanks for the links.

[Palmaceae]

All this is terrible for the people living there and I pray for their safety but is also fascinating to watch to see the power of that volcano.

[WestCoastGal]

Not home yet but checking. Very interesting development here. The ground under one of the lava flows collapsed this morning, causing a giant crack in the ground and the flow has been redirected into it and now below. Here's some quick photos, but I encourage you to check out the USGS photo section for photos from today and descriptions for them. Fabulous to zoom into as well. I see alot of homes and structures nearby to the flows though and pahoehoe keeps cracking and spreading out from the cracks widening the flow area.

Handy link to USGS site (Alerts, photos, maps). BTW the Alert has been updated and the maps too.

https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/multimedia_chronology.html

If you zoom in on the second photo, top middle, you'll see a home sitting on brown grass and with palms. So far looks like it's an oasis mostly untouched. There's also another home to the left of it still looking intact. Wish we could tell where Hwy 132 is in the photo or had some other reference point.

 

[Dave-Vero]

The latest USGS map isn't quite current, but it clearly shows how much larger the latest lava coverage is.  Of course it's hotter, runnier lava.   https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/maps_uploads/image-436.jpg

[WestCoastGal]

Loved this video by Lava News on the ocean where the lava meets the ocean. (BTW if the image isn't viewable, click on the 'View on Facebook' text link at the bottom. Very cool boat trip.

 

[WestCoastGal]

Night view of combo Fissure 20.

[WestCoastGal]

A Lava News video, showing what it's like to evacuate your home quickly and have the lava move in. Pretty intense. So little time in an emergency situation like this. If the video doesn't appear below, click on the 'View on Facebook' text link. 

I've seen people comment online in chats about how could anyone want to risk living on a volcano. While this is intense with Lava and it can more fast as we've seen, I'm reminded of the California wildfires which for me are more frightening to face especially if you have the Santa Ana winds blowing. Even the recent forest fires in northern California Napa area were just as bad with the winds and a number of people lost their lives trying to flee their homes, not making it out of their homes or unable to escape to safety in their cars and perished in their attempt. So far Hawaii has been lucky with no deaths and hopefully will continue to stay that way. 

 

 

[WestCoastGal]

I can't believe these guys get this close to this lava. From Lava News down on Pohoiki Road about a third of a mile below Hinalo in LaniPuna Gardens. From yesterday when people were evac'd out of the subdivision. The flowing lava river. Crazy. Click 'View on Facebook' at the bottom if it's not appearing below.

 

[WestCoastGal]

Ikaika Marzo, back at the Info Supply Hub, interviews Philip Ong (former USGS volunteer) and he explains what was going on with the Fissure 20 crack that sent lava below early Sunday morning. This is kind of a must listen guys.

Unfortunately what he says about the flow just starting to arrive from Pu'uO'o and from the Summit is what I've been thinking for a while although I hadn't figured on the initial erruptions in Leilani Estates coming from old 1955 lava sitting in the tubes (didn't know that was even a possiblity after 63 years) and thought that was probably from Pu'uO'o. The stalled earthquake location movement we've mentioned here in this thread is something else he discusses. 

If the video doesn't appear click on the 'View on Facebook' at the bottom to see it.