- Hawaii County Fire Department officials reported Monday afternoon high levels of sulfur dioxide in the southeast area of Lanipuna Gardens and surrounding farm lots. They say the air quality in the area is “condition red,” meaning it is an immediate danger to health.
- Fissure 18 that became active late Sunday, May 13 is weakly active. A fissure 19 has been spotted very near fissure 15 as of about 8 a.m. Monday, May 14 just northeast of Pohoiki Road and north of Hinalo Street at the east end of Lanipuna Gardens. It is producing a sluggish lava flow.
- Also Monday morning, activity is dominated by lava fountaining, explosion of spatter more than 100 feet into the air, and an advancing lava flow from fissure 17 at the northeast end of the fissure system. As of 6:30 a.m. the fissure 17 flow had traveled just under a mile roughly east-southeast parallel to the rift zone. It is turning slightly south and at this time is about one half mile south of Highway 132.
- This morning, a steady, vigorous plume of steam and occasionally minor amounts of ash is rising from the Overlook vent and drifting downwind to the southwest. As has been observed over the past several days, occasional rockfalls into the deep vent are expected produce intermittent pulses of slightly more vigorous ash emissions. Depending on wind conditions, dustings of ash may occur in the Kilauea summit area and downwind. More energetic ash emissions are possible if explosive activity commences.
- The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reports that the magma level in Halema’uma’u Crater (Kilauea Caldera) has dropped below the water table. This has action created the right conditions for an explosive eruption to occur at Halema‘uma‘u Crater. The eruption has the potential to eject rocks and boulders up to six miles from the crater and create an ash cloud up to twelve miles in diameter.
- Cracks continue to appear along Highway 130 and have begun to appear along Highway 132.
- Highways 130 & 132 represent two of three ingress/egress routes for lower Puna. If the cracks on one or both of these roads develop into fissures access to lower Puna will be severely restricted.
- The Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) is reopening Keaau-Pahoa Road (Highway 130) from Malama Street to Kamaili Road to local traffic at the request of the County of Hawaii on Tuesday, May 15, 2018.
- Roads closed due to cracks in the roadway: Highway 130 (Malama St. Kamaili Rd.). Highway 130 remains closed between Malama Street and Kama’ili Road; Pohoiki Rd. (Highway 132 to Highway 137); Highway 132 is closed at Pohoiki Road intersection. Only local traffic allowed on Highway 132 (Pahoa-Kapoho Road) and Highway 137 (Beach Road); Alaili Rd.; Railroad Ave. Only local traffic allowed into Leilani Subdivision.
- Private roads closed due to lava: Mamakae St., Kaupili St., Mohala St., Leilani Ave., Kahukai St., Hookupu St., Kupono St. and Halekamahina Road.
- No access is allowed for residents of Lanipuna Gardens due to dangerous volcanic gases
- Only residents and business owners are being allowed access to lower Puna at this time.