#BREAKING #LeilaniEstatesEruption #KilaueaVolcano UPDATE (May 29 at 2:15 PM): New photos from Puna Geothermal Venture of the flow which has cut across the driveway and main access road near the intersection of Highway 132 and encroached upon the plant property taking several structures with it. These images were taken 4 hours ago and come from Hawaiʻi Island Senator Kai Kahele who just got off of a helicopter ride. As of 12:30 PM, Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense Agency officials say USGS geologists in the field are reporting the flow front is 100 yards from Highway 132 Pāhoa Kapoho Road. Highway 132 is shut down from Lava Tree State Park to Four Corners. We are told only residents with placards can access Highway 137 beyond Four Corners (also referred to as Red Road in this area). Civil Defense says if lava crosses Highway 132, Vacationland & Kapoho Beach lots will have extended power outages. A Puna Geothermal Venture publicist has clarified the following: “Essential staff remains on site at PGV around-the-clock; non-essentials were told not to report to the site. Lava has crossed the main entrance to the facility, but there are alternate routes in and out. {Mike Kaleikini} assures me there is no threat to personnel at the site.” Despite Hawai’i Emergency Management Agency spokesperson Richard Rapozo telling #HawaiiNewsNow that all PGV personnel were being evacuated from the plant, as we had also heard from an employee — PGV spokesperson Mike Kaleikini says that is “absolutely not the case and all our crew are here.” Kaleikini says PGV officials are closely monitoring the situation — but even if lava cross their driveway and main access road, they do have a back road and alternate route they can take to safely evacuate their personnel if and when needed. He did not specifically say what would trigger an evacuation of PGV employees. However, in the past Kaleikini has said that if monitors detect the release of hydrogen sulfide — PGV would execute its emergency safety protocols and clear the area of all staff. I’m told there still has been no hydrogen sulfide detected at the plant site, despite lava having covered two wells on Sunday. PGV officials also tell me that it appears that the quenching and plugging of the 11 wells on site has held up and there have been no problems — however, they did bring in more of the mud-like substance they used to plug a problematic well that was resistant to quenching. They say that material was flown in from LA as a precautionary measure. Stay tuned to Hawaii News Now for the very latest developments #HInews #HawaiiNews #HNN #HawaiiNewsNow #WeAreYourSource