Global Courant
HONOLULU — Hawaii tourism officials urged tourists to be respectful when they flock to a Big Island national park to glimpse the latest eruption of Kilauea, one of the world’s most active volcanoes.
Kilauea, Hawaii’s second-largest volcano, began erupting Wednesday after a three-month hiatus.
The U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory on Thursday lowered Kilauea’s alert level from warning to watch as the rate of lava input slowed and no infrastructure is threatened. Eruption activity is limited to the closed area of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
“Out of respect for the cultural and spiritual significance of a volcanic eruption and crater area for many kamaʻāina, the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority is urging mindfulness when planning a visit to the volcano,” the agency said in a statement Wednesday night. a Hawaiian word. commonly used for residents of Hawaii.
For many Native Hawaiians, an eruption of a volcano has a deep but deeply personal cultural significance. Some may sing, some pray to ancestors, and some honor the moment with hula or dancing. Hawaiians ask that people keep a respectful distance.
“Don’t just pull out your camera and take pictures. Stop and be still and take it in,” said Cyrus Johnasen, a Hawaii County spokesman who is Hawaiian. “It’s something you can’t pay for. At that point you’re one with Hawaii.”
Recognizing the sanctity of the area, he also urged visitors not to bring stones, not to play horse games, and to leave plants alone.
“A lot of the plants up there are native,” he said. “Keep in mind that you leave a footprint. The idea is that you leave one that is as small as possible.
News of Kilauea’s lava fountains spread quickly, drawing crowds to the park. “Expect long delays and limited parking due to high attendance,” a warning on the park’s website said Thursday.
No exact count was available, but officials estimate that the first day and night of the eruption brought more than 10,000 people, which is more than triple the number of visitors on a normal day when Kilauea is not erupting, park spokeswoman Jessica Ferracane said.
Several thousand viewers watched the U.S. Geological Survey’s live stream Thursday morning showing red pockets of moving lava.
“We were on social media and we saw that it really went off while we were here, so we made the drive from the Kona side,” Andrew Choi, who was visiting his family from Orange County, California, told the Hawaii Tribune – Herald . “This feels so ridiculously happy. We’ve never seen anything like it.”
Park officials suggested arriving before 9 a.m. or after 9 p.m. at less busy times
Scientists expect the eruption to continue and be confined to the park’s Halemaumau crater.
By early Wednesday, lava fountains were as high as 200 feet (60 meters) and dropped to 13 feet to 30 feet (4 meters to 9 meters) in the afternoon, according to the observatory.
“People here in Hawaii are getting a spectacular show,” said Mayor Mitch Roth. “And it’s happening in a safe place built for people to come and see.”
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