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| Pacific oceanic whitetip shark is the subject of a law suit to protect it. See more below. Photo by Kaikea Nakachi |
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| Dr. Art Whistler was an expert in Pacific forests and plants and their restoration. Photo from University of Hawaiʻi |
Gov. David Ige said, "Today, our community received more tragic news of the passing of a third Hawai‘i resident from the COVID-19 virus. I want to extend my condolences to the family and friends of this individual. Together, with all of Hawai‘i, we share their loss and express our deepest sympathy and support.
"This is the second Friday of my statewide state-at-home mandate. I know this is not getting easier. As I have said before, unfortunately, it is going to get worse before it gets better. With the number of positive COVID-19 cases in Hawai‘i increasing every day and the heartbreaking loss of three of our fellow residents, we all need to remain vigilant and do our part in stopping the spread of this virus and flatten the curve in our state."
The Oʻahu count has risen to 237; Maui (including Molokaʻi) to 36, Hawaiʻi Island to 20, and Kauaʻi to 13. The state reported 306 confirmed victims on Friday; 49 of them recovered.
Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense reported this morning that none of the victims on this island have been hospitalized. Its own count put the total at 24, with 13 recovered and cleared by the state Department of Health, and two having left the island. The remaining nine are quarantined at home and monitored by DOH.
The state is clamping down further on inbound travel to Hawaiʻi. Any visitor who arrives without a place to stay and quarantine for 14 days will be sent back to the mainland. Ige said the rule was established after learning some homeless people were arriving.
According to Johns Hopkins University, the U.S. has recorded 277,965 cases. The death toll in the U.S. is more than 7,100. The recovery number is 9,863.
Worldwide, more than 1.1 million people have become victims of COVID-19. The death toll is 58,929. The recovery total is 226,669. There are cases reported in 181 of 195 countries.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.
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| A comparison chart of how well a wearer is protected, using different materials against particles five times smaller than the novel coronavirus. Image from smartairfilters.com |
Kim said wearing masks in Hawaiʻi county is voluntary, "and it would be to protect each other from Coronavirus. As Dr. John Martell of
Health Director Bruce Anderson said, "Many of us may be walking around unaware that we may be carrying coronavirus, and when we cough, sneeze, and to a lesser degree, even speak, cloth masks can block infectious droplets and prevent the virus from spreading. Protection of others is maximized when facemasks are used. However, it is important to avoid touching your face when wearing and adjusting a mask. Remember, my facemask protects you and your facemask protects me.
"There is no need to wear a cloth mask when you're outdoors and not in close proximity to anyone else. Being outside in fresh air is good for us, and there is no risk of being infected as long as you're not around other people. So, we encourage people to walk, run, and surf… as long as you practice good physical distancing. Don't hesitate to remind others to do the same," said
CDC states cloth face coverings "fashioned from household items or made at home from common materials at low cost" can be used as "an additional, voluntary public health measure."
See cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover.html for video instruction on how to construct a no-sew cloth face mask.
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| See U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams instruct on how to make a no-sew cloth face mask. CDC image |
PROTECTING OCEANIC WHITETIP SHARKS is the aim of a lawsuit filed Thursday by Earthjustice on behalf of Conservation Council of Hawaiʻi. It seeks to enforce protections for a dwindling shark species that has roamed the oceans for millions of years. The lawsuit is also on behalf of Michael Nakachi, a Native Hawaiian cultural practitioner and owner of a local scuba diving company. It aims to force the National Marine Fisheries Service to take long-delayed action to protect oceanic whitetip sharks. A statement from Earthjustice say that "for Nakachi, the shark has been his family's sacred protector for generations."
Oceanic whitetip sharks were historically one of the most abundant sharks in the world's oceans, but due to both U.S. and international fishing pressure, the population has declined significantly. Scientists estimate that in the Pacific Ocean alone, oceanic whitetip populations have declined 80 to 95 percent since the mid-1990s. Despite years of data showing that thousands of sharks are still killed as bycatch in Pacific fisheries each year, the Fisheries Service has failed to declare that Pacific oceanic whitetip sharks are overfished. This declaration would trigger protective action by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council.
"No protections exist to prevent fisheries from capturing oceanic whitetip sharks as bycatch," said Moana Bjur, Executive Director of Conservation Council for Hawaiʻi "That needs to change if we are to prevent this incredible apex predator from going extinct. That's why we're going to court."
Listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act since 2018, oceanic whitetip sharks are no longer targeted by long-liners in the U.S or by most commercial fisheries worldwide. However, thousands continue to die each year because they are accidentally caught in nets, lines, or other gear meant to catch different species - such as tuna and swordfish - in the waters off Hawaiʻi and American Samoa. Over the past decade, long-liners operating in the Pacific Ocean have captured an estimated 20,000 oceanic whitetip sharks as bycatch.
"It's time for the government to stop preventable shark deaths," said Nakachi. "As a kahu manō (guardian to the shark) I feel a personal responsibility to speak up on this issue, but I believe we all share a duty to ensure the survival of this sacred animal."
As the lawsuit points out, in making the determination to list the oceanic whitetip shark as threatened in 2018, the Fisheries Service recognized the overfished status of the species and concluded that due to "significant and ongoing threats," the oceanic whitetip shark is "on a trajectory towards a high risk of extinction in the foreseeable future."
The suit asks the court to order the Fisheries Service to make proper notifications that "would trigger necessary protections as expeditiously as possible, and no later than 30 days after this Court's order."
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| Michael Nigachi and Hawaiʻi Conservation Council are suing to protect the Oceanic whitetip shark. Photo by Michael Ashton |
The purpose of the Magnuson-Stevens Act is to "take immediate action to conserve and manage the fishery resources found off the coasts of the United States." Congress enacted the Magnuson-Stevens Act to "prevent overfishing and rebuild overfished stocks [of fish]." Prompt action is required under the Magnuson-Stevens Act to "prevent overfishing and rebuild overfished stocks [of fish]."
Roaming widely, the mobile, solitary oceanic whitetip shark lives in warm, tropical, and sub-tropical waters around the world. At the top of the marine food chain, oceanic whitetip sharks are long-lived and slow-growing. A female oceanic whitetip can take nine years to reach sexual maturity. Females give birth to live young, with an average litter of six pups. A female's reproductive cycle is slow, typically only giving birth every other year after a lengthy gestation period of 10 to 12 months.
"The oceanic whitetip shark's unique biology, coupled with the preventable threat of getting accidentally hooked or trapped in fishing gear, means that it is past time for the federal government to do its job and take swift action to protect this species," said Earthjustice attorney Brettny Hardy.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.
NO MASS RELEASE OF PRISONERS FROM HAWAIʻI ISLAND, or other county jails and prisons around the state, is the order from the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court, handed down on Thursday. Administrators of the state and county prison system report no finding of COVID-19. The decision followed an appeal by the Public Defender to release prisoners to prevent an outbreak.
The Supreme Court order said, "This court declines to enter a blanket order releasing large numbers of inmates," and ordered a study to consider "competing public health and safety concerns and to ensure that social distancing measures are being or can be effectuated within the state's jails and prisons for the safety of the inmates, the staff and the public." It states that "a collaborative effort should first be undertaken."
KĪLAUEA MILITARY CAMP WILL STAY CLOSED through at least May 31.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.
Roaming widely, the mobile, solitary oceanic whitetip shark lives in warm, tropical, and sub-tropical waters around the world. At the top of the marine food chain, oceanic whitetip sharks are long-lived and slow-growing. A female oceanic whitetip can take nine years to reach sexual maturity. Females give birth to live young, with an average litter of six pups. A female's reproductive cycle is slow, typically only giving birth every other year after a lengthy gestation period of 10 to 12 months.
"The oceanic whitetip shark's unique biology, coupled with the preventable threat of getting accidentally hooked or trapped in fishing gear, means that it is past time for the federal government to do its job and take swift action to protect this species," said Earthjustice attorney Brettny Hardy.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.
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| Boys & Girls Club of the Big Island served up its first free meals in Kona Thursday, after opening earlier in Hilo. CEO Chad Cabral says the club will work its way into Kaʻū. Photo from Boys & Girls Club |
BOYS & GIRLS CLUB IS COMMITTED TO KAʻŪ nutrition for children, according to CEO Chad Cabral. He said the organization is hoping to expand its free meal service to Kaʻū, after opening in Hilo and Kona. On Thursday, it launched its kitchen and community meal support operations in Kona, serving up chili and rice plates. Friday's menu is shoyu chicken.
Cabral gave the report: "Our West Hawaiʻi staff have been working tirelessly to get this Community Meal Support initiative up and running to support their community. We are starting with 200 individually plated and sealed hot meals each evening that will go to support our most vulnerable populations located throughout West Hawaiʻi. We hope to build the funding capacity to be able to provide up to 500 meals daily and expand our efforts towards supporting South Kona, Ocean View, and into Kaʻū."
The Kona efforts will go to support youth that are a part of West Hawaiʻi's State and County operated family housing programs, the children residing at Ulu Wini, Kona based homeless shelters, and kūpuna. All meals continue to be free.
Cabral gave the report: "Our West Hawaiʻi staff have been working tirelessly to get this Community Meal Support initiative up and running to support their community. We are starting with 200 individually plated and sealed hot meals each evening that will go to support our most vulnerable populations located throughout West Hawaiʻi. We hope to build the funding capacity to be able to provide up to 500 meals daily and expand our efforts towards supporting South Kona, Ocean View, and into Kaʻū."
The Kona efforts will go to support youth that are a part of West Hawaiʻi's State and County operated family housing programs, the children residing at Ulu Wini, Kona based homeless shelters, and kūpuna. All meals continue to be free.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.
NO MASS RELEASE OF PRISONERS FROM HAWAIʻI ISLAND, or other county jails and prisons around the state, is the order from the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court, handed down on Thursday. Administrators of the state and county prison system report no finding of COVID-19. The decision followed an appeal by the Public Defender to release prisoners to prevent an outbreak.
The order, signed by all five Hawaiʻi Supreme Court justices, would consider, after the study, that some intermittent inmates, such as those allowed to go home on weekends, to be released. The judges reasoned that the weekend prisoners could be bringing COVID-19 into the jails, posing a risk to other inmates, who live in crowded facilities where distancing is difficult. The weekend inmates also pose a risk to prison personnel.
The court selected retired Intermediate Court of Appeals Judge Daniel R. Roley to serve as special master to work with stakeholders to develop a report by April 9. It will analyze the prospect of releasing some prisoners, while keeping the community and the jail population safe.
Gov. David Ige asked Pres. Donald Trump to approve temporary transfer of state inmates to federal facilities on Oʻahu, but has not receveid a response. The state has a long-standing contract to temporarily house inmates at the federal facility, but it currently is not accepting inmate transfers, even though it is not at full capacity.
Gov. David Ige asked Pres. Donald Trump to approve temporary transfer of state inmates to federal facilities on Oʻahu, but has not receveid a response. The state has a long-standing contract to temporarily house inmates at the federal facility, but it currently is not accepting inmate transfers, even though it is not at full capacity.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.
COVID-19 TESTS BY BAY CLINIC AND PREMIER MEDICAL GROUP will take place this Sunday, April 5 from
8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Hilo Hoʻolulu Complex. A cosponsor is the County of Hawaiʻi COVID-19 Task Force. Access only through the Piʻilani/Hinano Street entrance.
This free clinic is open to the public. However, individuals must first undergo a screening to determine if they meet the criteria to be tested. Clinic physicians on site will make the determination regarding testing. The screening criteria will be based on guidance of the CDC and the state's COVID-19 Response Task Force.
People who visit the screening clinic will be asked to show photo ID. Additionally, people are requested to bring their own pen, and any health insurance cards they have, although insurance is not required. For more information, please call Civil Defense at 935-0031. Bay Clinic also offers other health services in Nāʻālehu.
This free clinic is open to the public. However, individuals must first undergo a screening to determine if they meet the criteria to be tested. Clinic physicians on site will make the determination regarding testing. The screening criteria will be based on guidance of the CDC and the state's COVID-19 Response Task Force.
People who visit the screening clinic will be asked to show photo ID. Additionally, people are requested to bring their own pen, and any health insurance cards they have, although insurance is not required. For more information, please call Civil Defense at 935-0031. Bay Clinic also offers other health services in Nāʻālehu.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.
HVO LOOKS TO THE PAST to better understand future Mauna Loa eruptions in this week's Volcano Watch, written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates:
Mauna Loa, the largest active volcano on Earth, has erupted, on average, every 5–6 years during the past 3,000 years.
Eruptions on Mauna Loa occur at the summit of the volcano, typically within Moku‘āweoweo, the caldera atop Mauna Loa, along one of the volcano's two rift zones (Northeast Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone), or from radial vents outside the caldera and rift zones on the volcano's north and west flanks.
Since 1843, Mauna Loa has erupted 33 times. Of these historic eruptions, about half started at the summit of the volcano and stayed in the summit area, defined as above 12,000 feet (about 3660 m) elevation. Twenty-four percent of the eruptions started at the summit and then, within minutes to days, migrated down the Northeast Rift Zone. Twenty-one percent started at the summit and then migrated to lower elevations along the Southwest Rift Zone. Around 6 percent of the eruptions occurred at radial vents, but those historical eruptions also had a summit component.
Mauna Loa will erupt again. Although an eruption is not imminent, the USGS HVO keeps a close watch on the volcano.
To track changes on Mauna Loa, HVO has an extensive network of instruments on the volcano, including seismometers, tilt meters, Global Positioning System (GPS) stations, and Web cameras, as well as temperature, sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide sensors. These remotely located instruments transmit real-time data to HVO 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
With volcanic eruptions and other geologic events, the past is the key to the future. So, to understand what might happen during the next Mauna Loa eruption, HVO looks to the past.
Given what we know about past Mauna Loa eruptions, we expect that the next one will begin at the summit of the volcano. Unfortunately, it's not possible to know if the next eruption will stay at the summit, if it will migrate down one of the rift zones, or if it will result in a radial vent eruption. That will only be revealed as the eruption progresses and we are able to track the movement of magma within Mauna Loa.
To learn from the past, we look back at this month in history—Mauna Loa eruptions that occurred in April.
In 1942, Mauna Loa's "secret" eruption began on April 26. With World War II underway, news blackouts were imposed on Hawaii. American officials feared that if the eruption was publicized, Japanese military could use the bright glow of lava at night to guide warplanes to the islands. The eruption began on the western rim of Mauna Loa's summit caldera but then migrated down the volcano's Northeast Rift Zone. By the time it ended on May 9, lava had reached within 11 km (6.8 mi) of upper Waiakea Uka.
Mauna Loa's third longest summit eruption in recorded history began on April 7, 1940. Lava fountains 20–60 m (65–200 ft) high initially erupted along a line of fissures extending from near the center of Mauna Loa's summit caldera to an area down the volcano's southwest flank. By the next evening, the eruption, which lasted 134 days, was restricted to the southwestern part of the caldera. There, active vents built a 100-m (330-ft) high cinder-and-spatter cone, which remains a prominent landmark on the caldera floor today.
On April 10, 1926, an eruption began at the summit of Mauna Loa, but fissures soon migrated 5 km (3 mi) down the volcano's Southwest Rift Zone. Three days later, the eruption migrated farther down the rift zone, with three main vents between 8,000 and 7,400 feet (2440–2255 m) elevation sending massive ʻaʻā flows downslope. The main flow rapidly advanced toward the sea, where it destroyed the small village and harbor at Hoʻōpūloa on April 18. This short-lived, but destructive, eruption ended on April 26.
In 1896, a 16-day-long summit eruption on Mauna Loa began on April 21. Another Mauna Loa summit eruption started on April 20, 1873, and lasted 18 months, leading Missionary Titus Coan to remark that "the great marvel of this eruption is its duration."
We encourage all island residents to stay informed about Mauna Loa. Like us, the more you know about the volcano's past, the better you can prepare for future eruptions.
Volcano Activity Updates
Kīlauea Volcano is not erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert level remains at NORMAL; volcanoes.usgs.gov/vhp/about_alerts.html. Kīlauea updates are issued monthly. Kīlauea monitoring data over the past month showed no significant changes in seismicity, sulfur dioxide emission rates, or deformation. The water lake at the bottom of Halema‘uma‘u continued to slowly expand and deepen.
Mauna Loa is not erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert level remains at ADVISORY. This alert level does not mean that an eruption is imminent or that progression to an eruption is certain. Mauna Loa updates are issued weekly.
This past week, about 47 small-magnitude earthquakes were recorded beneath the upper elevations of Mauna Loa; the strongest was a magnitude-2.1 earthquake on the northwest flank. Monitoring data showed that slow summit inflation continued and fumarole temperature and gas concentrations on the Southwest Rift Zone remain stable.
Two earthquakes with 3 or more felt reports occurred in the Hawaiian Islands this past week: a magnitude-3.1 earthquake 2 km (1 mi) W of Pāhala at 36 km (22 mi) depth on March 27 at 2:16 p.m., and a magnitude-3.2 earthquake 16 km (10 mi) S of Fern Acres at 6 km (4 mi) depth on March 25 at 04:54 p.m.
HVO continues to closely monitor both Kīlauea and Mauna Loa.
Visit HVO's website for past Volcano Watch articles, Kīlauea and Mauna Loa updates, volcano photos, maps, recent earthquake info, and more. Email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.
Daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more are listed at kaucalendar.com. However, all non-essential activities are canceled through the end of April.
MOST EVENTS ARE CANCELLED for the month of April, to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus. The state is under a stay-at-home order, with l4 days of quarantine required for anyone coming into the state. Interisland travel is restricted. Those in Hawaiʻi should stay at home unless needing to obtain food or medical care.
ONGOING
St. Jude's Episcopal Church Soup Kitchen is open, with a modified menu and increased health & safety standards, every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Hot showers, the computer lab, and in-person services and bible studies are suspended. Services are posted online on Sundays at stjudeshawaii.org.
Hawaiian Ocean View Estates Community center 92-8924 Leilani Circle , instead of at St. Jude's Episcopal Church, 11 a.m to 1 p.m.
Cooper Center 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. It is operated by The Food Basket. Call 808-933-6030.
The Next Learning Packet and Student Resource Distribution for Nāʻālehu Elementary School Students will be Monday, April 13. The packets are designed for learning at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, and can be picked up every two weeks. One family member may pick up for several students in the same family. Students need not be present for the learning resources to be retrieved. Please note the grade of each child. Distribution times are organized by the first letter of the student's last name at the site closest to their home. Supplies will be given out simultaneously.
Ocean View Community Center 5 p.m. - 5:20 p.m. for A-H, 5:20 p.m. - 5:40 p.m. for I-P, and 5:40 p.m. - 6 p.m. for Q-Z.
Kaʻū Art Gallery is looking for local artists. Call 808-937-1840.
Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium Closed for Renovation through June 30. The Park is closed until further notice due to COVID-19 spread mitigation. A popular seven-and-a-half minute 2018 eruption video will be shown on a television in the exhibits area, once the Park and center reopen, and is available online for free download.
Mauna Loa, the largest active volcano on Earth, has erupted, on average, every 5–6 years during the past 3,000 years.
Eruptions on Mauna Loa occur at the summit of the volcano, typically within Moku‘āweoweo, the caldera atop Mauna Loa, along one of the volcano's two rift zones (Northeast Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone), or from radial vents outside the caldera and rift zones on the volcano's north and west flanks.
Since 1843, Mauna Loa has erupted 33 times. Of these historic eruptions, about half started at the summit of the volcano and stayed in the summit area, defined as above 12,000 feet (about 3660 m) elevation. Twenty-four percent of the eruptions started at the summit and then, within minutes to days, migrated down the Northeast Rift Zone. Twenty-one percent started at the summit and then migrated to lower elevations along the Southwest Rift Zone. Around 6 percent of the eruptions occurred at radial vents, but those historical eruptions also had a summit component.
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| During the 1926 Mauna Loa eruption, an ʻaʻā flow about 457 m
(1500 ft) wide and 9 m (30 ft) high headed straight for the village of Ho‘ōpūloa on April 18, as shown here. By the next day, the lava flow had destroyed a dozen houses,a church, and the wharf, and had nearly obliterated the bay. Photo by Army Air Corps, 11th Photo Section |
To track changes on Mauna Loa, HVO has an extensive network of instruments on the volcano, including seismometers, tilt meters, Global Positioning System (GPS) stations, and Web cameras, as well as temperature, sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide sensors. These remotely located instruments transmit real-time data to HVO 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
With volcanic eruptions and other geologic events, the past is the key to the future. So, to understand what might happen during the next Mauna Loa eruption, HVO looks to the past.
Given what we know about past Mauna Loa eruptions, we expect that the next one will begin at the summit of the volcano. Unfortunately, it's not possible to know if the next eruption will stay at the summit, if it will migrate down one of the rift zones, or if it will result in a radial vent eruption. That will only be revealed as the eruption progresses and we are able to track the movement of magma within Mauna Loa.
To learn from the past, we look back at this month in history—Mauna Loa eruptions that occurred in April.
In 1942, Mauna Loa's "secret" eruption began on April 26. With World War II underway, news blackouts were imposed on Hawaii. American officials feared that if the eruption was publicized, Japanese military could use the bright glow of lava at night to guide warplanes to the islands. The eruption began on the western rim of Mauna Loa's summit caldera but then migrated down the volcano's Northeast Rift Zone. By the time it ended on May 9, lava had reached within 11 km (6.8 mi) of upper Waiakea Uka.
Mauna Loa's third longest summit eruption in recorded history began on April 7, 1940. Lava fountains 20–60 m (65–200 ft) high initially erupted along a line of fissures extending from near the center of Mauna Loa's summit caldera to an area down the volcano's southwest flank. By the next evening, the eruption, which lasted 134 days, was restricted to the southwestern part of the caldera. There, active vents built a 100-m (330-ft) high cinder-and-spatter cone, which remains a prominent landmark on the caldera floor today.
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| An aerial view of the prominent 1940 cinder-and-spatter cone
on the floor of cone, about 100 m (330 ft) high, was built during a 134-day-long eruption that began on caldera floor around the cone is covered by lava flows erupted in 1984. USGS photo |
In 1896, a 16-day-long summit eruption on Mauna Loa began on April 21. Another Mauna Loa summit eruption started on April 20, 1873, and lasted 18 months, leading Missionary Titus Coan to remark that "the great marvel of this eruption is its duration."
We encourage all island residents to stay informed about Mauna Loa. Like us, the more you know about the volcano's past, the better you can prepare for future eruptions.
Volcano Activity Updates
Kīlauea Volcano is not erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert level remains at NORMAL; volcanoes.usgs.gov/vhp/about_alerts.html. Kīlauea updates are issued monthly. Kīlauea monitoring data over the past month showed no significant changes in seismicity, sulfur dioxide emission rates, or deformation. The water lake at the bottom of Halema‘uma‘u continued to slowly expand and deepen.
Mauna Loa is not erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert level remains at ADVISORY. This alert level does not mean that an eruption is imminent or that progression to an eruption is certain. Mauna Loa updates are issued weekly.
This past week, about 47 small-magnitude earthquakes were recorded beneath the upper elevations of Mauna Loa; the strongest was a magnitude-2.1 earthquake on the northwest flank. Monitoring data showed that slow summit inflation continued and fumarole temperature and gas concentrations on the Southwest Rift Zone remain stable.
Two earthquakes with 3 or more felt reports occurred in the Hawaiian Islands this past week: a magnitude-3.1 earthquake 2 km (1 mi) W of Pāhala at 36 km (22 mi) depth on March 27 at 2:16 p.m., and a magnitude-3.2 earthquake 16 km (10 mi) S of Fern Acres at 6 km (4 mi) depth on March 25 at 04:54 p.m.
HVO continues to closely monitor both Kīlauea and Mauna Loa.
Visit HVO's website for past Volcano Watch articles, Kīlauea and Mauna Loa updates, volcano photos, maps, recent earthquake info, and more. Email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov.
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See Kaʻū events, meetings, entertainment. See Kaʻū exercise,
meditation, daily, bi-weekly, and weekly recurring events.
Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free to 6,250 mailboxes
throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano, and free on
stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com
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Daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more are listed at kaucalendar.com. However, all non-essential activities are canceled through the end of April.
ONGOING
Free Breakfast and Lunch for Anyone Eighteen and Under is available at Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary weekdays through at least the end of April. Each youth must be present to receive a meal. Service is drive-up or walk-up, and social distancing rules (at least six feet away) are observed. Breakfast is served 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m., lunch from 11:30 a.m. to noon.
St. Jude's Episcopal Church Soup Kitchen is open, with a modified menu and increased health & safety standards, every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Hot showers, the computer lab, and in-person services and bible studies are suspended. Services are posted online on Sundays at stjudeshawaii.org.
The Food Basket Food Pantries Distribution, where families can receive 14 days of food per family:
The Nāʻālehu location is Sacred Hearts Church at 95-558 Mamālahoa Hwy, under their Loaves and Fishes program, on the second and fourth Thursday of the month from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Call 928-8208.
The Pāhala location is Kaʻū District Gym at 96-1149 Kamani Street, distributed by the ʻO Kaʻū Kākou Pantry, on the last Thursday of the Month at 11:30 a.m. Call 933-6030.
The Volcano location is Cooper Center at 19-4030 Wright Road on the last Thursday of the month at 3:30 p.m. Call Kehau at 443-4130.
A Free Dinner for Those in Need is served at Volcano Cooper Center 19-4030 Wright Road every Thursday, by Friends Feeding Friends, between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m.
The Next Learning Packet and Student Resource Distribution for Nāʻālehu Elementary School Students will be Monday, April 13. The packets are designed for learning at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, and can be picked up every two weeks. One family member may pick up for several students in the same family. Students need not be present for the learning resources to be retrieved. Please note the grade of each child. Distribution times are organized by the first letter of the student's last name at the site closest to their home. Supplies will be given out simultaneously.
Everyone is asked to observe social distancing rules, staying 6 feet away from others during pick-up. See the school website, naalehuel.hidoe.us, for more information and updates.
Distribution in the Nāʻālehu area is at Nāʻālehu Elementary, Waiʻōhinu, and Discovery Harbour Community Center Kahuku Park Ocean View Community Center
At Nāʻālehu Elementary, campus pick-up will be from 9 a.m - 9:20 a.m. for A-H; 9:20 a.m. - 9:40 a.m. for I-P, and 9:40 a.m. - 10 a.m. for Q-Z.
The Waiʻōhinu pick-up: 8 a.m. - 8:20 a.m. for A-H, 8:20 a.m. - 8:40 a.m. for I-P, and 8:40 a.m. - 9 a.m. for Q-Z.
The Discovery Harbour Community Center 9:30 a.m. - 9:50 a.m. for A-H, 9:50 a.m. - 10:10 a.m. for I-P, and 10:10 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. for Q-Z.
Morning distribution at Kahuku Park 8 a.m. - 8:20 a.m. for A-H, 8:20 a.m. - 8:40 a.m. for I-P, and 8:40 a.m. - 9 a.m. for Q-Z.
Evening distribution at Kahuku Park 5 p.m. - 5:20 p.m. for A-H, 5:20 p.m. - 5:40 p.m. for I-P, and 5:40 p.m. - 6 p.m. for Q-Z.
Times for distribution in front of Malama Market are: 9:30 a.m. - 9:50 a.m. for A-H, 9:50 a.m. - 10:10 a.m. for I-P, and 10:10 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. for Q-Z.
Kaʻū Art Gallery is looking for local artists. Call 808-937-1840.
Register for Volcano's ʻŌhiʻa Lehua Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, and Keiki Dash by Wednesday, July 22. The second annual event will be held on Saturday, July 25. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to University of Hawaiʻi for furthering research of Rapid ‘Ōhiʻa Death and The Volcano School of Arts & Sciences. See webscorer.com to register.
Half Marathon registration is $70 through May 24, $80 May 25 through July 22, and $90 for late registration. Registration for the 10K is $50 through May 24, $55 May 25 through Jul 22, and $60 for late registration. Registration for the 5K is $35 through May 24, $40 May 25 through July 22, and $45 for late registration. Keiki Dash registration is $10. All registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
Late registration is only available at packet pickup or race day morning. Shirts are not guaranteed for late registration. Race Shirts will be included for Half Marathon and 10K participants only. For all other participants, shirts are available to purchase online.
Late registration is only available at packet pickup or race day morning. Shirts are not guaranteed for late registration. Race Shirts will be included for Half Marathon and 10K participants only. For all other participants, shirts are available to purchase online.
Packet pick-up is scheduled for Thursday, July 23 in Hilo ; Friday, July 26 in Volcano; and Saturday, July 27, 5:30 a.m. to 6:30 a.m. at the race start.
Half Marathon will start at 7 a.m. Other distances follow shortly after. Keiki Dash will begin at 10 a.m. on VSAS grounds, with the option of one or two laps – about 300 meters or 600 meters. Race cut-off time for the Half Marathon is four hours. The races will begin and end in Volcano Village
See ohialehuahalf.com.
See ohialehuahalf.com.
Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium Closed for Renovation through June 30. The Park is closed until further notice due to COVID-19 spread mitigation. A popular seven-and-a-half minute 2018 eruption video will be shown on a television in the exhibits area, once the Park and center reopen, and is available online for free download.
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