Hawaii Volcanoes National Park sustains major damage; closed indefinitely --
| Coral Reefs Lost to Kīlauea Eruption When searing black lava from fissure 8 slid into the Pacific Ocean at Kapoho Bay on June 3, it had been five weeks since the collapse of the Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater, along the eastern rift zone of the Kīlauea volcano on Hawaii's Big Island. Toxic, acid-laden steam billowed high above boiling waves. Within 36 hours, the bay became paved over by lava, creating a new coastline almost a mile out and destroying shallow-water coral reefs and tidepools. "It's been an absolute loss," said marine biologist Misaki Takabayashi of the University of Hawaii at Hilo. The area was popular with snorkelers for its easy access and intense beauty. Takabayashi described the view as floating above a colorful coral reef set against stark black basalt. "When people would go, they were in awe," she told me.
Bulldozers begin to clear lava and ash from Chain of Craters-Kalapana Road in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. | Photo courtesy of NPS Gabriel Gonzalez Wants Renewable Energy for All: The Ready for 100 organizer sees an opportunity for a better, more just world. New York Presses Climate Litigation Against Fossil-Fuel Producers: Judge hears motion to dismiss as climate liability cases wind through courts. 18 Ways to Get Your Old Man Outside (and Loving It) on Father's Day: Sierra’s guide to gifting dads. What It's Like to Be an Environmental Defender in the Philippines: Indigenous people are murdered for trying to take back their ancestors' land. Check Out the New Issue: Sierra magazine's May/June issue is now online!
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