Areas of extreme drought were eliminated thanks to the rainfall brought by the storm but most of the island continues to suffer from moderate drought, with severe drought still affecting areas in the interior and along a portion of the northwest coastline.
Explosive eruptions are not bad everywhere. Hawaiian society southeast of Kīlauea’s summit actually benefited from some of them. These benefits result from the deposits of fine volcanic ash that transformed a barren sea of pāhoehoe into an area capable of sustaining agriculture.
Volcano Watch: Explosive eruptions from Kilauea: beneficial or dangerous depending on location hawaiitribune-herald.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from hawaiitribune-herald.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Many such explosions resulted from the interaction of magma with groundwater or surface water; others apparently were powered by pressurized gas possibly aided by steam but with no direct involvement of magma.