Volcanic Eruption in Hawaii – Should you cancel your vacation in Hawaii?

A lot of people are concerned these days because of the Kilauea volcano on the Big Island and the volcanic eruption. Let us look at the facts and what happened with the volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii. CHECK OUT OUR VIDEO UPDATE about the volcanic eruption in Hawaii.

Earthquakes in Hawaii

At the beginning of May there were several earthquakes in Hawaii. It affected the Big Island and the volcano on the Big Island. The earthquakes on the Big Island cracked the side of the Kilauea volcano and created so called fissures. The earthquakes were as strong as 6.9. After the earthquakes we had a few steam explosions and volcanic eruptions.

Lava flow in Hawaii

Lava comes out of the fissures and cracks. As of today (May 27th) 82 structures were destroyed by the lava flow on the Big Island. 41 of the 82 structures were houses that were built on the side of the Kilauea volcano.

Lava enters the ocean – Big Island is getting bigger

The lava found it’s way into the ocean. At different locations on the Big Island, the lava has found its way into the ocean. This means, that the 1 million year old Big Island, which is the youngest of the Hawaiian islands, is growing. Big Island is getting bigger.

Is it dangerous on the Big Island?

There are certain parts of the Big Island that you should avoid. However, the police and military is on duty and won’t let you close to the volcano anyways. Just a reminder: LAVA IS HOT AND IT WILL BURN YOU! 🙂 But not only the lava itself is dangerous. Wherever the lava enters the ocean, we have hazardous fumes. The fumes may contain little particles of glas and you should make sure not to breath those in.

Air quality in Hawaii is good. Just be careful close to the volcano, since the ash and fumes are not healthy.

If you need more updates and ideas for your vacation in Hawaii check out our facebook page.

CHECK OUT OUR VIDEO UPDATE about the volcanic eruption in Hawaii.

Where does the Lava go?

This interactive map of the lava flow will help you to see where the lava is actually flowing and entering the ocean. As you zoom out you can see how little of the Big Island is actually affected by the volcanic eruption.

Should I cancel my vacation in Hawaii because of the volcano?

No. At this point there is no reason to cancel your vacation in Hawaii. Air quality is good, all flights operate as scheduled, tourist attractions are open. The helicopter flights over the volcano on Big Island are still operating. As a matter of fact, this might be the best time to fly over the active volcano with a helicopter, since you get to see the lava flow on Big Island from above.

+++Update+++ Most parts of the volcano national park on the Big Island are closed at the moment!

We were told that boats are going to the spots where the lava enters the ocean. Be careful, but it sounds VERY exciting.

If you like to see other activities on the Big Island feel free to check out this page with activities on Big Island.

If you like to check the local Hawaiian news for updates, here is a link to KHON2.