Main Content

On June 27, 2014, new fissures erupted just east of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater and lava advanced rapidly to the east. By late October, lava had advanced 20 km toward Pāhoa. The flow eventually stalled 1,800 feet (550 m) from the Pahoa police and fire stations. It also reached within 500 feet (150 m) of Pāhoa’s main street before stopping. By mid-December, the lava flow threatened the Pāhoa Marketplace shopping center but no damage was done there. The entire flow extended 13.5 miles (21.7 km).

Landsat imagery shows this flow as ragged, dark lines protruding from the main lava flows around Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō. An image from the European Space Agency’s Sentinel-2 satellite shows the lava flow and Pāhoa in slightly higher resolution and makes it clear just how closely the flow approached the community.

Imagery

Every picture has a story to tell
Sep. 5, 2013, Landsat 8 (path/row 62/47) — Pāhoa, HI, USA
Sep. 24, 2014, Landsat 8 (path/row 62/47) — Pāhoa, HI, USA
Oct. 13, 2015, Landsat 8 (path/row 62/47) — Pāhoa, HI, USA
Feb. 26, 2019, Landsat 8 (path/row 62/47) — Pāhoa, HI, USA

Correlated

Additional story information
Downloads

Other Stories

Related imagery and additional content