A year later, we are reflecting on the massive 2018 eruption of the Kilauea Volcano on the Big Island of Hawai'i.
Kilauea Volcano
Kīlauea is a shield volcano on Hawai'i, and is one of the most active volcanoes in the world. It is also the volcano that we personally call home. For decades the volcano has erupted, for the most part a safe distance from populated areas of the island.
2018 Eruption
On May 3rd, 2018 everything changed for residents of lower Puna. After days of earthquakes, lava erupted from Kilauea's Lower East Rift Zone. This time the eruption took place directly inside a neighborhood. The eruption claimed hundreds of homes and lasted 100 days. Twenty-four fissures opened up down the rift zone, displacing thousands of residents.
Pele's Path: The Journey Home
The 2018 eruption was a big part of our lives, and the lives of many in our local community. The team at Hawaii News Now documented the aftermath of last year's eruption. We got to be a part of this incredible story telling by helping the crew with filming. There are so many brave residents whose everyday lives are still very much affected. This week Hawaii News Nows has just premiered their fantastic documentary Pele's Path: The Journey Home.
Behind the Scenes
With local residents escorting us, we hiked along the fresh lava path documenting the incredible aftermath of the 2018 eruption. The magnitude of the volcanic eruption is hard to comprehend. We tried to do it justice with our aerial drone videography over some of the affected areas. Lava completely surrounds and cuts off many farms and homes within these pockets in lower Puna. Residents have had to hike over the fresh lava on a daily basis just to get home. Our crew spent a day hiking in with them, hearing their brave stories of resilience. We documented their story by flying our camera high above the lava flows.
Photography by: Michael & Amber Haley, Island Life Drones
The eruption last year was an incredible, beautiful amazing and tragic thing to live through. Life on an active volcano reminds us all that the only thing in life that is permanent, is change. We stand with our local community as we remember the start of this incredible event, exactly one year later.
Were you affected by last years eruption? Let us know your experience, we would love to hear your story. If you would like to learn more about the eruption, visit USGS online or visit Volcanoes National Park. We were proud to have a small part in this documentary, so don't forget to tune into Pele's Path: The Journey Home on Hawaii News Now.
With Aloha,
