Mayor Harry Kim briefed emergency workers at Hawaii County Civil Defense headquarters in Hilo, less than 24 hours after having a heart defibrillator implanted in an outpatient procedure at Hilo Medical Center.
Asked why he’s back on the job so soon, Kim replied, “Because what I’m following up on is very important. We have a possibly very serious situation in regard to Highway 11.”
The highway, the only direct corridor between Hilo, Volcano and Ka‘u, has sustained damage because of the almost constant seismic activity at the summit of Kilauea volcano, which started prior to the lower East Rift Zone eruption ongoing since May 3.
The 78-year-old Kim has suffered six heart attacks, including one April 26 and another on June 16, and the defibrillator was implanted as a “precautionary measure,” his office said.
“This body’s been through an awful lot. This is just another minor event,” Kim said about Tuesday’s procedure, which was performed with a local anesthetic.
County Managing Director Wil Okabe said Kim went home at about 9:30 a.m. following an office meeting.
State Highways Division reports no new cracks on the road on Highway 11 but requests that motorists stay on the pavement between mile markers 28 and 32.
“Things are really quiet right now on the lava front,” said Janet Snyder, Kim’s spokeswoman. “Fissure 8 levels are down as far as the amount of magma, although … they are seeing a surge of magma in fissure 8 one to three hours after (summit) collapse events.”
The last summit-collapse event was at 7:59 a.m. Tuesday, so another such event is expected sometime today.
“The Kapoho lobe ocean entry of fissure 8 is dead and the only ocean entry of lava now is (at) Ahalanui,” Snyder said.
A weak ooze-out of lava causing a small delta at Isaac Hale Beach Park in Pohoiki has apparently stopped for now and the lava flow front remains about 500 feet from the Pohoiki boat ramp.
A Tuesday afternoon brush fire started near the Puna Geothermal Venture access road at the south edge of the fissure 8 channel. The fire burned much of the vegetation around the road as well as the west side of Pu‘ Honua‘ula. It also damaged one of Hawaiian Volcano Observatory’s telemetry hubs that relayed data from several geophysical instruments in the area as well as the PGV cam. HVO said they hope to repair the hub and camera as soon as possible, but operations might not be restored for some time.
Bob Fenton, the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s administrator for Region 9, which encompasses Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii, California and the Pacific, has returned to Hilo after about a month’s absence.
“He’s here to see what FEMA can do for us in terms of long-term plans and also going to Washington to advocate on our behalf,” Snyder said. “He’s been through 9/11, (Hurricane) Katrina and all these other things with FEMA and he said this is probably one of the more complex events he’s seen because of how long it’s been ongoing.”
Hawaii County residents with losses as a result of the Kilauea eruptions and earthquakes have through Monday, Aug. 13, to register for disaster assistance with FEMA, which can be done at the Disaster Recovery Center at Pahoa Community Center. The DRC is open weekdays 8 a.m.-6 p.m. and Saturdays, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
Registration can also be done online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by phone at 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585. Applicants who use 711 or Video Relay service may call 800-621-3362. The toll-free numbers are open 7 a.m.-10 p.m. seven days a week.
As of Monday, 2,513 individuals on Hawaii Island had registered for disaster assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency with $5,146,279 in funding approved.
Disaster assistance can include FEMA grants for temporary housing, home repairs and replacement, as well as low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration. These loans are available to businesses, private nonprofits, homeowners and renters to cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries.
Aug. 13 is also the deadline to file a loan application for physical damages with the SBA. Applicants may apply to the SBA online at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing may call (800) 877-8339.
Access placards for vehicles are available at Civil Defense headquarters, 920 Ululani St. in Hilo.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.