May 7-9: Fissures Slow Down (For Now)

Fissures continued to open, but mostly emitted slow, sticky lava that didn’t travel far. Leilani residents continued to be allowed back during the daytime.

Video: lava flow eats Mustang (dead battery; owner left it to focus on rescuing other possessions), another flow pushes through metal gate.  These slow-moving, clumpy, clanking flows that pile up like a rocky bulldozer are “a’a” lava.

More fissure news/Videos from May 7 until 10:
  • May 7: USGS Status Report (12 fissures total by afternoon)
  • May 8: Mike Kalber video of Fissure 13 steaming, spattering
  • May 8-9: Good article from Hononulu Star-Advertiser (videos, detailed info on progress of eruption, evacuations)
  • May 8: Evening Civil Defense Update from Big Island Video News with lava footage. 14 fissures by day’s end.
  • May 9: Video – Mike Kalber flyover of fissure eruptions; today steaming, not much lava
  • May 9: Video clips – Steaming fissures sound like they’re breathing,  huff and puff
  • 15 fissures by end of May 9, cracks (but not lava) open W. of Highway 130, back up rift zone.
  • Fissure eruptions pause on May 10. Briefly.