Today in Puna History, April 2, 1868

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

Titus Coan was a minister based in Hilo, with a congregation also located in Puna. In March and April of 1868 the Big Island experienced two exceptionally large earthquakes. He wrote in his journal about the effects of the April 2 quake:

April 2d, a terrific shock rent the ground, sending consternation through all Hilo, Puna, and Kau. In some places fissures of great length, breadth, and depth were opened. Stone houses were rent and ruined, and stone walls sent flying in every direction. The sea rose twenty feet along the southern shore of the island, and in Kau 108 houses were destroyed and forty-six people drowned. Many houses were also destroyed in Puna, but no lives were lost. During this awful hour the coast of Puna and Kau, for the distance of seventy-five miles subsided seven feet on average, submerging a line of small villages all along the shore. One of my rough stone meeting houses in Puna [Kapoho-Koa'e], where we once had a congregation of 500 to 1,000 was swept away with the influx of the sea, and its walls are now under water.

[lquade]

very interesting. is that in a published book? do you have a name? i always love to read more history of puna area. i knew about the big quake but never those specifics.. thanks!

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

The book is called "Life in Hawaii" by Titus Coan.
There is much about his missionary work, but also descriptions of lava flows in Puna as well as one that almost reached Hilo.
The section on the April 2nd earthquake is in Chapter 22:

The shaking continued all night, and most or all of the Hilo people spent the night out of doors, fearing to remain in their houses. Some said they counted a thousand shocks before morning, and so rapid were these shocks, that the earth seemed to be in a continuous quiver, like a ship in a battle.

http://life.helps7.com/

[seekir]

I think The Shipmans Of East Hawaii also has some information and quotes about the serious volcano related quakes and flows of the era.