Loading ...…flowed from the extended fissure 20 today. Lava advanced downhill at a flooding rate of 100 yards per hour to the south. My ham friends report minutes ago that the lava crossed the coast Hwy 137 and is about to enter the ocean. This has split lower Puna into two sections now. The west side at Kalapana is only accessible on Hwy 130 which has cracks across the road near the eruptive zone. They put steel plates across the cracks to keep the road open, and so far the cracks are not steaming. But if that road is cut, Kalapana will be isolated.
On the east side of the lava flow, residents of the Kapoho area can still escape around the beach road at Cape Kumukahi, the eastern tip of the island.
Steam explosions continue to occur from the summit crater Halemaumau. Last night at midnight one blast put a plume up 10,000 ft.