News

UPDATE: 8:30 a.m. The Hawaii National Guard will be increasing their patrol of Leilani Estates. An additional 20 National Guardsmen will be assigned to the subdivision, bringing their complement to 95. The Guard says this is in response to community demand for more security following an evacuation order by Hawaii County Civil Defense. Hawaii County Police Chief Paul Ferreira reports there was a burglary in the evacuation area. 7 a.m. […]

UPDATE: 2:30 p.m. Hawaii County Civil Defense said this afternoon that two more fissures have opened up in Leilani Estates and another home has been confirmed destroyed, bringing the total to 27 in the lower Puna neighborhood. Officials said the two new vents, No. 13 and 14, around midday. One of the fissures fizzled out, but the other put out enough lava to burn a 27th home in Leilani Estates. […]

Spencer Park in Kawaihae will be closed May 15-17 for maintenance and repairs to the high-use park. Monthly closures are necessary to maintain and repair high-use parks without exposing park patrons to potential hazards associated with large-scale maintenance work. The Department of Parks and Recreation thanks the public for its cooperation during this temporary closure.

UPDATE: 6 a.m. Volcanic activity has paused at all 12 fissures although they continue to emit hazardous fumes, according to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. Residents of Leilani Estates will be allowed to check their property from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily until further notice, Hawaii County Civil Defense said in a news release. Entry placards for residents who wish to retrieve personal items from the subdivision will be available […]

Hilo-born Major League Baseball player Kolten Wong has launched a GoFundMe page for victims of the Kilauea eruptions, called “Hawaii Natural Disasters Relief.” The campaign, accompanied by a 4-minute personal video from Wong, who has family on Hawaii island and is a University of Hawaii at Manoa graduate, aims to raise $200,000 for families displaced by lava eruptions. Wong, second-baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals, explained that people on Hawaii […]

This is a Civil Defense Message for Monday, May 7 at 6 AM. The East Rift Zone eruption in Leilani Subdivision continues. Hawaiian Volcano observatory confirms that active venting of lava and hazardous fumes continue in Leilani Estates Subdivision. Since the onset of this eruption, a total of 10 fissures have emerged, and 35 structures have been destroyed. Due to the eruption, the following are issued: • The County of […]

UPDATE: 1:45 p.m. A total of 21 homes have been destroyed by the lava eruption in Leilani Estates, Hawaii County officials confirmed this afternoon. The latest update was a sharp increase from the nine homes confirmed earlier today. Geologists expect the ongoing lava outbreak from Kilauea volcano that is inundating Leilani Estates to continue for days if not weeks to come. Just before 1 p.m. today, scientists at Hawaiian Volcano […]

UPDATE 1:05 p.m. The lava vents from Kilauea volcano has destroyed five structures in Leilani Estates, Hawaii County officials said this afternoon. Hawaiian Volcano Observatory officials said early this afternoon that the ongoing “eruptive activity is increasing and expected to continue.” County officials said eight active lava vents have been confirmed on Makamae, Kaupili, Mohala, Kahukai streets and Pohoiki Road, with two new vents near Makamae and Leilani streets, and […]