HVO: Lava about half-mile from Isaac Hale park

The southern boundary of the flow front at the ocean entry of lava from Kilauea volcano’s lower East Rift Zone remained a little more than a half-mile away from Isaac Hale Beach Park and Pohoiki boat ramp on Sunday evening, according to Hawaii County Civil Defense.

The channelized a‘a flow west of Kapoho Crater continues to be the main ocean entry at the southern edge of the flow front. Despite no visible surface connection to the fissure No. 8 channel, lava continues to ooze out at several points on the 3.7-mile-wide flow front into the ocean.

According to an update posted on the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory website shortly before noon Sunday, fissure 8 continues to erupt lava into the perched channel leading northeastward from the vent.

Lava levels in the upper channel increased briefly following a summit collapse-explosion event at Halema‘uma‘u crater 3:26 a.m. Sunday. The collapse-explosion produced energy equivalent to a magnitude-5.2 earthquake. Another short-lived overflow of the channel at the vent spread east-southeast Sunday morning, but did not advance beyond the existing flow field.

No other fissures were active as of Sunday morning.

Volcanic gas emissions along the lower East Rift Zone remain very high and continue to increase.

Sulfur dioxide emissions from the volcano’s summit are very low. This gas and minor amounts of ash resuspended by wind are being transported downwind. The summit region is occasionally impacted by sulfur dioxide from the lower East Rift Zone eruption, which started on May 3.

Disaster assistance remains available for residents and businesses islandwide affected by the Kilauea eruption. The Disaster Assistance Center is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and 8 a.m.-4 p.m. weekends at Keaau High School Gym.