The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory commemorated the centennial of Maunaloa’s 1926 eruption that destroyed Ho’ōpūloa village and crossed what is now Highway 11. The eruption was notable for being the first Hawaiian lava flow photographed from the air and attracted hundreds of spectators.
- The 1926 eruption began April 10 at the summit and migrated to the Southwest Rift Zone by April 13.
- Lava crossed Government Road (now Highway 11) on April 16, creating the flow visible today between mile markers 87-88.
- Ho’ōpūloa village was completely destroyed on April 18, leaving 42 people homeless and destroying 14 houses, a church, and the wharf.
- The eruption attracted hundreds of spectators and marked the first aerial photography of an advancing Hawaiian lava flow.
- This historical eruption provides context for understanding Maunaloa’s volcanic patterns and potential future impacts to Big Island infrastructure.
Source: Maui Now
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