HONOLULU (AP) — The Hawaiian Islands’ tourism authorities have urged visitors to be respectful and sincere when visiting a national park on the Big Island to witness the recent eruption of Kilauea, one of the world’s most active volcanoes.
Kilauea, Hawaii’s second-largest volcano, began erupting on Wednesday after a three-month pause.
On Thursday, the U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory downgraded Kilauea’s alert level from “warning” to “watch” as the rate of lava input declined, and no infrastructure is currently under threat. The eruption activity is limited to a closed area within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
“Out of respect for the cultural and spiritual significance of the volcanic eruption and the crater area for many kamaʻāina (local residents), the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority urges mindfulness when planning a visit to the volcano,” the agency stated in a Wednesday night declaration, using a Hawaiian term commonly used for Hawaii residents.
For many Native Hawaiians, a volcano eruption holds deep and personal cultural significance. Some may chant, others may offer prayers to ancestors and some may commemorate the moment through hula, a traditional dance. Hawaiians request that people maintain a respectful distance.
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“Don’t whip out your camera and take photos. Stop and be still and take it in,” said Cyrus Johnasen, the spokesperson for Hawaii County, who is Hawaiian. “It’s something that you can’t buy. At that moment, you are one with Hawaii.”
In recognizing the sacredness of the area, he also advised visitors not to take rocks, avoid engaging in horseplay, and refrain from disturbing the vegetation.
Word of Kilauea’s lava fountains spread quickly, attracting crowds to the park. “Expect major delays and limited parking due to high visitation,” warned a notice on the park’s website on Thursday.
Though an exact count was not available, officials estimated that during the eruption, more than 10,000 people visited the park, which is more than double the number of visitors on a typical day when Kilauea is not erupting, according to park representative Jessica Ferracane.
Thousands of viewers were watching the USGS’s livestream showing red streams of moving lava on Thursday morning.
“We were on social media and saw that it was actually going off while we were here, and we made the drive from the Kona side,” said Andrew Choi, who was visiting with his family from Orange County, Los Angeles, as reported by the Hawaii Tribune-Herald. “This in particular feels ridiculously lucky. We’ve never seen anything like this.”
Park officials recommended visiting during less-crowded times, before 9 a.m. or after 9 p.m.
Scientists expect the eruption to continue and remain confined to the Halemaumau crater in the park.
Early Wednesday, lava fountains reached heights of up to 200 feet (60 meters) and decreased to 13 to 30 feet (4 to 9 meters) in the afternoon, according to the observatory.
“People here on Hawaii Island are getting a wonderful show,” said Mayor Mitch Roth. “And it’s happening in a safe area that was designed for people to see it.”
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