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100 residents had medically documented symptoms, and about 10 went to hospital. One was knocked out and couldn't be revived for 10 hours, another lost lung function for a month.
This is not a summary, just some examples.
The monitors were down due to electricity failure, although PGV was required to have backup power available, and didn't employ the generators they had for this purpose. So exact amounts were disputed. And PGV cynically and recklessly took advantage of the monitors being down to clean out a well 2 days later, releasing even more undocumented H2S.
Some will continue to make excuses for PGV , others will have compassion for their neighbors.
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Thanks Mendo.
I've read multiple news reports about the leak and fine, but couldn't find any that listed health related problems.
Do you have a link to that info?
"I'm at that stage in life where I stay out of discussions. Even if you say 1+1=5, you're right - have fun." - Keanu Reeves
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HotPE - Watch / read the above Big Island Video News link for an initial overview soon after the Iselle event. If you want a more complete review, watch the multipart videos at this link for views from residents, PGV, HELCO, and DOH.
http://www.bigislandvideonews.com/2014/0...m-release/
Posts: 11,060
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Thanks, I'll watch the videos when I have some free time.
Do you know of any documented reports from the health department?
Personal testimony provides a certain amount of information, but I was concerned about how many had to receive medical treatment.
"I'm at that stage in life where I stay out of discussions. Even if you say 1+1=5, you're right - have fun." - Keanu Reeves
Mendo just shared many facts about what happened to encourage those hefty fines. Yes the release sickened many who lived close. The hurricane was just stalling a few miles off our coast packing winds of 80 mph plus. Geothermal was cranking at about 70% capacity and then all hell broke lose around 7:26 p.m Aug 7th. A gust of wind about 40 mph started snapping albesia trees near the y intersection next to Puna geothermal. Those trees fell on helco poles and lines which then caused some large explosions.
We lost all power here at the top of leilani before the explosions so we did not hear anything about needing to evacuate due to the gas release. We heard from neighbors who were concerned and did not know where to go at the time. There was no way to evacuate due to the trees that had blown down across all roads out. The stress and fear of the ongoing hurricane and now possibly needing to avoid the air completely that may be toxic was terrible. Our families options were limited this evening to just making a safe room in the house and ride this out together.
Yes we had many neighbors, friends, and family who experienced symptoms from the geothermal release of its gasses that night, some worse than others. Very disturbing to see, hear and or feel the impacts caused by geothermal. Now anytime we hear that winds could reach 40 mph we live with added concerns from geothermal planned releases over our neighborhood. Sorry to bore many of you with these sort of Facts about our beloved Geothermal in Puna. They may not be from Iceland or elsewhere so these facts carry less merit for the geochems or leilanidudes of this forum.
Opihikao you have asked for facts only and question why geothermal has not been shut down in the past if it was so bad for our community. These may not be the kind of facts you really want to hear, that's understandable. Would you happen to know much about some of the Hawaiians who have served their life missions to make sure geothermal remains profitable in these parts?. The Harry Kim's, Bob patricci's and many others that may turn your stomach have tried to fight geothermals growth in these parts over the past two decades.
While hawaiian names like Mililani Trask and her sister, Kaliekini, and many others including our mayor continue to show great support in keeping and growing geothermal in this area. This confuses me a bit because you seem to know and care about our aina and its people, yet you probably know these folks I've mentioned better than most to give you an understanding to why we still have geothermal as a good neighbor and high electric rates. Really don't want to have this seem or become racial yet I am afraid it already has in many eyes.
