When William Ellis visited in 1823 , Waiākea was the main settlement on Hilo Bay . The Waiākea Mission ( now called Haili Church ) was the first church in eastern Hawaii island , founded in 1824 . Several eruptions of Mauna Loa ( the most recent in 1984 ) have threatened the area . Tsunamis devastated Waiākea-Kai ( along the coast ) , with the largest in 1946 and 1960 . A clock found in the rubble set to the exact time when it stopped in 1960 serves as a memorial
most recent in 1984
1984 eruption of Mauna Loa
Waiakea, Hawaii