General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsHawaii's Kilauea volcano could see explosive eruptions: U.S. agency
Source: Reuters
Hawaii's Kilauea volcano could see explosive eruptions: U.S. agency
Reuters Staff
1 MIN READ
(Reuters) - There is a growing chance of explosive eruptions of Hawaiis Kilauea volcano in coming weeks that could shoot rocks for miles and cause ashfall for dozens of miles, the U.S. Geological Survey said on Wednesday.
Kilauea, Hawaiis most active volcano, erupted on Thursday and lava flows from fissures have destroyed at least 36 structures and caused the evacuation of about 2,000 residents.
Explosive eruptions could occur if the lava lake in Kilaueas crater continues to fall to the level of groundwater, causing an influx of water to create steam-driven explosions, the USGS said in a statement.
Reporting By Andrew Hay; Editing by Bill Trott
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-hawaii-volcano-eruptions/hawaiis-kilauea-volcano-could-see-explosive-eruptions-u-s-agency-idUSKBN1IA31I
wasupaloopa
(4,516 posts)and along the path that you use to walk around the crater. The thing that amazed me is the way the lava falls into the sea. There is a perfect perpendicular edge where the lava flow drops into the water. After it cools You can stand on the edge and look straight down into the sea.
?_nc_cat=0&oh=d8651664c7ae357d3a08396d586c98d1&oe=5B59CFCC
Amishman
(5,559 posts)All this activity is on the vulnerable south side of the island. Large magma movement, active deformation, and large earthquakes raise the risk.
The south eastern edge of the big island has been slowly slumping into the ocean at a rate of about 10 cm per year. This would mean a massive earthquake and tsunami. Hawaii has been the site of this type of activity several time in the past hundred thousand years.
roamer65
(36,747 posts)Kilauea is on the east side of the big island, right?
Amishman
(5,559 posts)It would be indescribably bad for the entire Pacific.
100 to 1000 cubic miles of rock abruptly sliding into the sea would cause a wave well beyond anything seen in human history.
Very unlikely overall, but possible as Hawaii has done this several times before in geologic history, and the Hilina Slump is already unstable as it has been moving 10 cm per year. In 1975 it slid 11 feet and triggered a 47 foot tsunami