In the wake of her biggest destructive days in modern history, Kīlauea Volcano continues to pump out a truly phenomenal amount of lava from Fissure #8 in the middle of Leilani Estates, where the eruption began just five weeks ago.
Over the past three days, Pele incinerated nearly 300 homes and structures in the Vacationland/Kapoho Beach Lots communities of lower Puna, bringing the total to well over 500. The homes, lives, and dreams of many families have been shattered throughout the region. Today she was busy slowly consuming the few structures left in the area.
Big Island residents are in shock today, mourning the loss of not one, but both of these spectacular beach communities to the ongoing lava flow which began in early May. The current eruption of Kīlauea Volcano, centered in Leilani Estates has destroyed over 300 homes in less than 72 hours.
The beach communities of Kapoho Beach Lots and Vacationland, some six miles downslope from the main active vent were inundated late Sunday evening. By yesterday morning, lava had absolutely decimated the pristine coastal vacation spots, which included some of the best snorkeling reefs in East Hawai‘i.
Many of the homes in the upscale gated community of Kapoho Beach Lots were valued at several million dollars each. These were vacation homes and rentals, as well as primary residences… and the threat is certainly not over.
This eruption, which has advanced up to 656 yards per hour, and fountained up to 250 in the air, has covered 7.7 square miles of land, and destroyed many roads, cars, homes and other structures in just five weeks.
Residents of the Puna District in East Hawai‘i are reeling from this latest blow, many displaced, seeking shelter with friends, relatives, and in community facilities throughout the island. Pele continues to dance through the Puna… with some of the biggest flows this observer has seen since the high fountaining days of Pu’u ‘O’o in the mid-1980s.
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