Long-term Pu’u ‘Ō’ō eruptive vent collapsed; magma began moving downrift toward Puna.
Lava Destroys Homes in Hawai’i
Most people will remember the international news about Kilauea erupting as it was well-covered in the media. There were so many stories going around, and there was some confusion about what this all meant to people who had homes in the Puna district. It was especially worrisome to my husband and me as we owned a small home in Leilani Estates – the housing development hit hardest by the eruption.
In the spring of 2018, signs of increased volcanic activity were observed at Kilauea. The lava lake had inflated, indicating magma accumulation beneath it.
Before 2018, the summit’s lava lake had been active for many years, occasionally overflowing. However, on May 1, 2018, the Hawaii Volcano Observatory issued a notice of potential eruption in Kilauea’s lower East Rift Zone. This was followed by a Magnitude-6.9 earthquake on May 4th, recorded on the south flank of Kilauea. Subsequently, the deflation of Kilauea’s summit began, leading to a drop in the Halema’uma’u lava lake. By May 10th, the lava lake had disappeared from view. The following day, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park closed to the public.
When the lava lake began to disappear, it signaled an eruption was underway, as the accumulated molten rock had to find a way out. The underground conduit between the lava lake and the downrift area suddenly widened by about 8 feet. This expansion allowed the magma, which had been accumulating under the caldera, to flow downhill underground towards Leilani Estates – a subdivision in the Puna district.
The Lava Emerges
Cracks appeared in the roadways, emitting steam. Slowly, the lava began to show in these vents. Initially, the lava emerging from the vent was rough and chunky, known as A’a (pronounced ah-ah) in Hawaiian. The lava that was now in the lava tubes was left from prior eruptions. Later, the faster-moving, liquid rock from the lava lake pushed it out of the tube. This smoother lava is referred to as pahoehoe (pronounced pah-hoy-hoy). This thick, chunky lava moves very slowly and can seem deceptively harmless. A person could walk faster than the lava was flowing.
During this time, there were images in the press of people walking up to the lava and poking it – even roasting marshmallows. In my unscientific opinion, this must have irritated Madame Pele and perhaps caused her to have a fit of anger.
Scientists from the HVO worked 24/7 to track the eruption, and scientists from other volcano observatories flew in to help. Civil Defense ordered residents to evacuate as needed.
The pace of volcanic activity accelerated towards the end of May, marked by near-daily summit collapse events, each releasing energy equivalent to a magnitude-5+ earthquake. By June 3rd, fountains of lava were erupting from fissure 8 in Puna, reaching the ocean at Kapoho Bay. The river of lava from Fissure 8 was recorded at speeds of over 20 miles per hour at one point.
Erm...we're going to have to say no, that's not safe. (Please don't try!) If the vent is emitting a lot of SO2 or H2S, they would taste BAD. And if you add sulfuric acid (in vog, for example) to sugar, you get a pretty spectacular reaction.
— USGS Volcanoes🌋 (@USGSVolcanoes) May 29, 2018
USGS warns about the danger of roasting marshmallows over lava
Madame Pele
In Hawaiian mythology, Pele, the goddess of fire, lightning, wind, and volcanoes, is said to reside in the Halema’uma’u crater at the summit of Kilauea. Depicted as a young woman with long black hair and red lips, Pele is known for her temperamental nature. Legends warn that those who offend her may suffer death or heartbreak.
Small shrines with offerings popped up all around Leilani Estates. Interestingly, most local practitioners do not condone this practice. Offerings to Pele or any Hawaiian entities must be made with great care, or they can open a path for spiritual problems. The best option is that if a respected Native practitioner has not trained you, don’t do it. The perfect offering is one’s aloha (love) and ho’okupu (sacred word) to protect and honor the land and culture.
A Personal Account
My husband and I have owned property in Leilani Estates since 2012 and have a small cabin built in the lush rainforest. We felt so fortunate to have found this beautiful piece of land where we planned to retire in a few years. We were in Washington State when we heard of the beginning of the eruption. Knowing that our cabin was possibly in the volcano’s path, my husband, Al, needed to get there right away to salvage what he could out of our cabin if Madame Pele decided to take it.
The daily reports I received after my husband arrived on the island were nerve-racking. The National Guard made the right decision by blocking access to the subdivision, allowing only residents to enter. The crowds of people wanting to witness the volcanic activity posed a danger, and there was a risk of our properties being exposed to looters. Although he was supposed to evacuate, Al decided to stay as long as he could safely.
Hawaii National Guard and local police block the entrance to Leilani Estates
Image: Marco Garcia Photography
National guardsmen across from the entrance to Leilani Estates
Image: Marco Garcia Photography
He told me the air quality was so poor that for the first couple of days, he stayed indoors packing up our belongings and preparing to get out. In the distance, he could hear the explosive “lava bombs”, which sounded like mortar fire in a war zone. At night, when he lay in bed, he could feel the lava moving underground below the cabin.
Outside, “Pele’s Hair” was scattered on the ground and in the plants. Pele’s hair is a volcanic glass formation produced from cooled lava stretched into thin strands. From a distance, you could see a layer of white, almost as though everything was kissed with frost. In addition, sulfur dioxide gasses were still spewing from the fissures, and the vegetation in our beautiful jungle homestead was turning brown.
In late May 2018, the area of destruction from the volcanic activity significantly expanded, leading to heavy restrictions on access to surviving sections of Leilani Estate near the edges of the lava field starting May 31. Reports also emerged on July 1, 2018, of discussions among Hawaii politicians regarding a proposed ban on future home construction in areas prone to volcanic activity.
In the end, our cabin was spared. But many of our friends and neighbors were not so lucky. In the end, over 700 homes were destroyed. Fortunately, there was no loss of life, but 24 people were injured – some severely.
The Explosive “Lava Bombs”
Pele’s Hair
Lava from Kilauea eruption destroys hundreds of homes
Image: Reuters
The chunk landed on the boat’s roof
Image: Reuters
A Tale of Loss and Recovery
Eric and Diane Cohen were home on May 1st, 2018. Their property in Kapoho had been a haven for them – developed over 35 years. As longtime Hawaii residents, they were fairly used to earthquakes and volcanic activity. Eric recalls that Diane was swimming in their above-ground pool with their dog when they felt a massive earthquake. The water was sloshing out of the pool – clearly, this was different from the typical rumbles. This magnitude-6.9 south flank earthquake was the largest recorded for Hawaii in 45 years.
Then, on Mother’s Day, May 13th, Eric and Diane woke up to what sounded like a jet engine going off. The character of the eruption in the Lower East Rift Zone was undergoing a significant change. It started to produce hotter and more fluid magma from multiple vents, resulting in faster and longer lava flows. Geochemical analyses suggested that this change was due to the arrival of “fresher” magma from the summit reservoir.
Kīlauea Lower East Rift Zone Eruption – May 13, 2018
They stayed in their home for the next few weeks as lava was not an imminent threat. For several days they had already been having trouble sleeping when on May 29th, they heard police with loudspeakers driving the road telling residents to leave. Eric recalls that he could see a red glow in the sky, so they gathered their things and left their home at 11 pm. As they drove away, they could see the glow of lava heading toward their home.
At this point, the old lava had been pushed out of the lava tubes, and now the new lava was flowing at more than 20 mph, creating a river of molten rock. My husband described it as moving like white-water rapids. The rumbling of the flow felt like standing in front of the bass speakers at a heavy-metal concert.
While Eric and Diane stayed with friends, they monitored the developing news. For 38 days, the lava spared their property, and Eric got permission to walk in to check the status. He spent the night in the house and could see the river of lava in the distance. That was the last time he saw their home intact. The bottom slope of their property now sits buried under 80 feet of solid rock.
Even with the loss of their longtime home, Eric and Diane feel fortunate. They weren’t hurt and were able to find a nice piece of property where they had built a new home. It’s a little further away from Kilauea and they still believe that even with Madame Pele as a neighbor, this is where they belong.
Eric and Diane Cohen returned to where their ‘home’ once stood after the eruption
Images: Reuters
A New Normal
Eruption activity started to decline on August 5, 2018, with a noticeable decrease in the lava channel’s intensity and seismic activity at Halemaʻumaʻu in the following days. By August 15, 2018, the Lower East Rift Zone eruption had subsided, with no new lava entering the channel for over a week. Although scientists warned that the eruption could resume at any time, there was no further underground volcanic inflation recorded on instruments during that week, and no additional summit collapse events occurred, with only a small amount of lava remaining active.
Following this period, a small lava lake persisted within the cone’s crater for another three weeks. However, on September 4, 2018, the lava lake receded below the surface, marking the end of the eruption.
Hawaii County’s Voluntary Housing Program provided home and property owners with buyouts based on land values before the disaster. The program’s purpose is for the County to acquire properties to prevent future eruptions and maintain the sites as open space. Hundreds of people in the affected areas have applied for the program.
As of this writing, work is being started to rebuild the roads covered by the eruption – a process that will take several years at least.
Those residents whose homes were spared are generally optimistic. The risk from the volcano was always present, and even now, because of this experience, many survivors are well-prepared for when the Goddess of Fire comes back for another try. Besides, living on a volcano keeps one humble and doesn’t diminish the land’s beauty during good times and bad.
Voluntary Housing Buyout Program Update (as of 8/27/2024)
A Chronology of Events
- April 30, 2018
Pu‘u ’Ō’ō Collapse, Magma Shifts - May 1, 2018
Eruption Warning Issued HVO (Hawaiian Volcano Observatory) issued notice of potential eruption on Kīlauea’s lower East Rift Zone. Deflation of Kīlauea’s summit began, and Halemaʻumaʻu lava lake started to drop.
- May 3, 2018
Fissures Erupt, Alert Raised Onset of fissure eruptions on lower East Rift Zone; Volcano Alert Level raised to WARNING.
- May 4, 2018
6.9 Earthquake Hits Magnitude-6.9 earthquake struck the south flank of Kīlauea.
- May 9, 2018
Summit Explosion Warning HVO issued notice of potential summit explosions; there was a lull in lower East Rift Zone fissures from May 9-12.
- May 10, 2018
Lava Lake Disappears Halema’uma’u lava lake disappeared from view.
- May 11, 2018
Park Closes Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park closed to the public (Kahuku Unit remained open).
- May 15, 2018
Code RED for Aviation Aviation Color Code was elevated to RED in anticipation of summit explosive events.
- May 16, 2018
Summit Explosions Begin Kīlauea summit explosive events began; HVO building was evacuated.
- May 19, 2018
Lava Reaches Ocean Lava entered the ocean near Mackenzie State Recreation Area (lasted about 10 days).
- May 25, 2018
Fissure 8 Reactivates Fissure 8 reactivated; a new pit opened on the floor of Halema’uma’u.
- May 29, 2018
Caldera Collapse Accelerates Caldera down-drop accelerated: onset of near-daily summit collapse events, each releasing energy equivalent to a magnitude-5+ earthquake.
- June 3, 2018
Lava Reaches Kapoho Bay Lava erupted from fissure 8 and reached the ocean at Kapoho Bay.
- June 24, 2018
Collapse Events Slow Collapse events no longer produced ash; Aviation Color Code was lowered to ORANGE.
- Aug 2, 2018
Summit Collapses End Summit collapse events end.
- Aug 4, 2018
Fissure 8 Slows Fissure 8 activity significantly decreased; summit deflation stopped.
- Aug 17, 2018
Eruptive Pause Eruptive pause at fissure 8; Volcano Alert Level was lowered to WATCH.
- Aug 21, 2018
Ocean Entry Stops Ocean entry was no longer active.
- Sep 1-5, 2018
Lava Ceases at Fissure 8 Sporadic glow and weak lava activity occurred within the fissure 8 cone; no active lava was observed after Sept. 5.
- Sep 22, 2018
Park Reopens Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park reopened (details at nps.gov/havo).
- Oct 5, 2018
Alert Lowered to ADVISORY Kīlauea Volcano Alert Level was lowered to ADVISORY; it was further lowered to NORMAL on March 26, 2019 – almost one year after the initial phases of the eruption.
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