USGS: Fisheye lens photograph of a USGS geologist making observations of the fissure 8 lava channel at sunset July 3, 2018. The field crew is at a high point overlooking the channel near where it makes a 90 degree turn around Kapoho Crater and flows south. The glow of the fissure 8 vent is the bright spot in the center of a different cone, Halekamahina.

(BIVN) – Fissure 8 continues to be very active and is feeding a lava channel to the ocean at Kapoho, officials say. Hawaii County Civil Defense reports oozing fresh lava was observed at Kapoho Beach Lots and a flow near the Four Corners area.

“Due to the breakouts of lava near Four Corners and within Kapoho Beach Lots persons are reminded that these areas are closed to any access,” civil defense said Wednesday. “Be aware that spill overs of the channel and other breakouts are possible on the active flow field, do not access the active flow field due to extreme hazard.”

USGS: The lava channel from fissure 8 jumped its banks near Kapoho Crater where the channel makes a 90 degree bend. The flow within the channel was diverted around a constricted area and joined the channel again “downstream” to the south.

This morning, temporary channel blockages of the Fissure 8 channel causing minor overflows were observed just north of Kapoho Crater by USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and Civil Air Patrol overflights.

Fissure 22 is spattering about 50-80 m above a conical spatter cone and feeding a short lava flow that is moving slowly to the northeast along the edge of earlier flows.

USGS: This is a photograph from yesterday evening just before sunset. Fissure 22 can be seen with a gas plume coming out. The darker area is the associated lava flow & PGV is visible on the right side.

At 10:19 a.m. HST today, a collapse explosion event occurred at Kīlauea’s summit. The energy released by the event was equivalent to a Magnitude 5.3 earthquake.

Disaster assistance is available island-wide to individuals and businesses in Hawaii County that have been affected by the Kilauea eruption.

• The Disaster Recovery Center is open daily from 8am to 8pm, and is located at the Keaau High School Gym. If you need a ride, buses will resume running between the two shelters and the Disaster Recovery Center between 7:30 am and 9:00 pm.
• For more resources to help you recover from this disaster, please visit the county website.