Sand bar forming near Pohoiki boat ramp

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A sand bar and beach made up of volcanic fragments is forming around the Pohoiki boat ramp. Courtesy of USGS.
Two ponds of lava are seen inside fissure 8 within Leilani Estates on Saturday. Courtesy of USGS.
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The Pohoiki boat ramp remains untouched by lava, but black sand and other volcanic fragments have created a sand bar and beach at the site.

An aerial photo taken by the U.S. Geological Survey showed the sand bar nearly chocking off access to the ocean from the ramp.

Ooze outs of lava at the ocean entry nearby were continuing despite fissures becoming inactive.

At fissure 8, two small lava ponds — one crusted over, the other incandescent — were observed Saturday, according to USGS’ Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. No lava was flowing out of the fissure.

HVO said the pond that was glowing was sluggishly convecting. Both were sunken inside the fissure below the overflow channel.

HVO said a gas plume billowed out of the fissure and other inactive vents were intermittently steaming.

Activity has decreased dramatically at the Kilauea eruption along the East Rift Zone since Aug. 4.

The last collapse event at the summit inside Hawaii Volcanoes National Park was Aug. 2. Summit deflation is negligible, according to HVO.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency extended its deadline to apply for disaster assistance through Sept. 12.