HILO — Heather Fomenko’s escape from the volcanic eruption in Leilani Estates was strangely uneventful.
Fomenko’s daughter told her about an ominous crack in a road not far from their home Thursday afternoon. While walking to the scene to see for herself, the crack began belching steam.
“I figured then that it was time to leave,” she said.
Fomenko, 43, and her sister-in-law, Alia Kai, 34, moved their dogs to Kai’s Hilo residence Thursday. By Friday, they had packed most of their lives into two vehicles before driving to the Pahoa Community Center, where they rearranged their belongings before continuing to Hilo.
The community center is the site of one of two Red Cross shelters — the other being Keaau Community Center — housing evacuees from the eruption, and approximately 200 displaced people were staying there Friday, said Debbie Weeks, Hawaii County Red Cross director of disaster services.
Of the registered evacuees, approximately 90 were housed in the facility’s gymnasium, 53 in the community center building and 20 in the senior center, with some additional 40 or so unregistered evacuees staying on the community center grounds. There were 15 evacuees sheltered at the Keaau center as of Friday afternoon.
Though the center was a flurry of movement, with volunteers and Red Cross employees bringing in crates of food and supplies, most evacuees at the scene were listless, as if in a daze.
“It’s been horrible,” said evacuee Mark Landers as he walked his dog across the community center grounds. Landers slept in his truck Thursday night and said he doesn’t know what to do next.
Like Fomenko, Landers and his husband decided to leave Leilani Estates on Thursday afternoon as the first fissure began to open. Despite this, he said, he got “almost nothing” out.
“The material stuff doesn’t really matter to me though,” he added, as he calmed his dog, Suki.
Pets are allowed at the Pahoa shelter, Weeks said, guessing about 45 dogs and cats had been brought to the center. Meanwhile, the approximately 16 children at the shelter played on the community center’s playground, seemingly unconcerned by the crisis unfolding around them.
Weeks said the center would be able to support evacuees as long as necessary thanks to donated food from local businesses and the county, with additional supplies from other islands, if required.
“It’s up to Pele how long it takes, though,” Weeks said.
In the meantime, some volunteers offered their time and services to evacuees. Food truck P &J’s Tacos provided food for evacuees and workers, with the children of co-owner Jessie Aguilar carrying plates of food to affected people.
“The kids are excited about helping people in need,” Aguilar said. “This is a good lesson for them.”
Some volunteers also were evacuees. Christopher Ho‘omana lives in Kalapana, outside of the evacuation zone, but left the area as a precaution after the Leilani vents began emitting sulfur dioxide. Since arriving at the community center, he said, he has helped with whatever is needed, largely moving and organizing supplies.
“Everyone’s calm here,” Ho‘omana said. “Maybe they’re in shock, in a daze. We’ve all prepared for this, though. We’re always under threat.”
Landers said he and his husband hope to return to an unscathed home — their house is on top of a hill, hopefully too high for lava to reach — but until people are allowed to return to the subdivision, he has no plans for where to go next.
“Everybody’s worried about when we’re going to be able to get back in,” Fomenko said.
Fomenko moved to Leilani Estates three years ago but has lived on the Big Island for considerably longer. Although she experienced the 2014 lava flow in Pahoa, the current volcanic event is considerably more worrisome.
“For one thing, I’m affected by it now,” Fomenko said. And while the 2014 flow was predictable — moving steadily but slowly downhill — Fomenko said this eruption is anything but.
“Everybody’s wondering where it’s going to pop up next,” she said.
As many of the displaced were worried about what Kilauea will do next — a fear amplified by the frequent earthquakes rippling from Kilauea’s southern flank throughout Friday — the question of the day was one of personal uncertainty: What will we do next?
“I’m having a hard time trying not to cry right now,” said Leilani resident Keahi Benn. “Me and so many other people, we just lost pretty much everything we had.”
Benn, 24, said he returned to Leilani Estates on Friday morning to retrieve possessions and help his family move, and was barely able to escape as the volcanic fissures began leaking toxic fumes.
“I got just a backpack out,” Benn said. “And my father’s ashes, because those are the most important to me. My focus was really just getting my family out.”
Benn said he didn’t think he would be able to return home and hopes that others have the same conclusion, saying that Leilani Estates is far too dangerous to attempt to enter.
Nonetheless, state Sen. Russell Ruderman, D-Puna — who was visiting the community center with U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard — said some residents attempted to hide in their homes during the first evacuation order, while Gabbard said there had been no confirmation as of 11:30 a.m. that all residents had left the area.
Still, the subdivision is, like the community center, strangely calm as its residents watch to see what happens next.
“It’s all kind of quiet in there now,” Fomenko said.
Email Michael Brestovansky at mbrestovansky@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
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Comfort items needed
Residents wanting to donate to the community center are advised to make donations to local organizations such as the Salvation Army, said Debbie Weeks, Hawaii County Red Cross director of disaster services. Items such as towels and pillows are preferred. The Red Cross is unable to accept donations of used clothes or home-cooked food.
Thoughts & prayers go out to the people of Puna.