8/18/25 – DLNR URGES CAUTION NEAR LAVA LANDS IN COASTAL AREAS ON HAWAIʻI ISLAND
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JOSH GREEN, M.D. GOVERNOR |
DAWN CHANG |
DLNR URGES CAUTION NEAR LAVA LANDS IN COASTAL AREAS ON HAWAIʻI ISLAND
Click on photo to view video
HILO, Hawaiʻi – Newly formed lands from the 2018 Kīlauea volcano lava flows, known as lava deltas, are creating a potential hazard for Hawaiʻi Island residents and visitors. The recent discovery of a large crack in a lava delta at Kapoho, in the Puna district, demonstrates the enduring instability that newly created land presents and may indicate signs of imminent collapse. Due to these circumstances and risk to public safety, DLNR advises extreme caution when visiting coastal areas on Hawaiʻi Island.
The warning includes, but is not limited to, the communities of Kapoho, Pohoiki, Malama and Kalapana.
“The safety of our residents and visitors is our top priority, and we must emphasize that these newly created lands are not safe to traverse,” said DLNR Chair Dawn Chang. “The land is still settling and is unpredictable.”
Lava deltas are landforms built as hot lava enters and is cooled by the ocean. Deltas extend the island shoreline, but the terrain can be deceptive. Thin layers of molten rock appear as solid ground, but the new landforms are dynamic and inherently unstable. Vegetation may also conceal deep fissures and cracks.
There is little documentation as to the construction and subsequent destruction of this natural phenomenon, adding to its unpredictability. The U.S. Geological Survey notes that a collapsing delta can trigger explosive activity, hurling rocks and debris hundreds of yards inland and/or seaward.
Chang added: “The report of the crack at Kapoho is a stark reminder that even years after eruption, areas in the lava flow hazard zones are active and can be dangerous. Please exercise caution and remain alert when visiting these coastal areas.”
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RESOURCES
(All images/video courtesy: County of Hawai‘i staff)
Video – Crack in Lava at Kapoho, Hawai‘i Island (no audio track) (Aug. 2025):
Photographs – Crack in Lava at Kapoho, Hawai‘i Island (Aug. 2025):
Media Contact:
Ryan Aguilar
Communications Specialist
Hawai‘i Dept. of Land and Natural Resources
Email: [email protected]
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