HILO — A minor ocean entry of lava near Pohoiki appeared Tuesday to accompany the wider lava ocean entry, centered at the site of the former Ahalanui Beach Park.
According to Janet Snyder, spokeswoman for Mayor Harry Kim, the Pohoiki ocean entry was “building a delta.” She said there was oozing along the western edge of the lava flow front inside Isaac Hale Beach Park, but Pohoiki boat ramp was “still there.” The lava remained about 500 feet from the ramp, Snyder said.
Fissure No. 8, the most active fissure since the current eruptive phase began May 3 in Kilauea volcano’s Eastern Rift Zone, continued to produce lava, Snyder said.
A collapse-explosion occurred at 7:59 a.m. Tuesday at the volcano’s summit. The event created energy equivalent to a magnitude-5.3 earthquake, according to Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.
State Highways Division reported no new cracks on Highway 11 after the collapse-explosion event at Halema‘uma‘u crater.
Between mile markers 28 and 32, motorists are advised to stay on the pavement, be alert for changing road conditions, and drive with caution. Motorcyclists and bicyclists are advised to proceed with extreme caution.
In addition, a 4.5-magnitude earthquake occurred at the summit at 12:30 a.m. Tuesday, according to HVO. No damage was reported.
The Disaster Recovery Center, which had been at Keaau High School gym, is now at the Pahoa Community Center. It’s open weekdays 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
As of Monday, 2,486 individuals on Hawaii Island had registered for disaster assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, with $5,096,906 in funding approved.
The U.S. Senate on Tuesday passed legislation authored by Hawaii Sen. Brian Schatz to help Hawaii Island assess the damage suffered by farmers and ranchers during the ongoing eruption.
The amendment, included in a bipartisan spending package, will help aid the response and recovery effort by instructing the U.S. Department of the Agriculture to evaluate the damage the eruptions have caused to agricultural production and rural infrastructure. The legislation also asks USDA to work with state and county officials on how to rebuild and support local farmers and ranchers.
“My legislation will help us understand how the ongoing eruptions have hurt agriculture production on the island and what we can do to fix it,” Schatz, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said in a statement.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.