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Lava Fountains in the Streets Cause Hawaii to Declare State of Emergency

#1
C C Offline
https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/artic...nd-kilauea

EXCERPT: Many on the Big Island of Hawaii left their homes yesterday, as Kilauea Volcano spewed molten lava into nearby neighborhoods, roads, and forestland. At least 1,500 residents were evacuated from the lower Puna District, and a state of emergency was declared by Hawaii’s governor David Ige in certain parts. A magnitude 5.0 earthquake shook the Big Island Thursday morning, roughly 4.3 miles southeast of the volcano—the latest in a string of dozen quakes signaling the collapse of the Pu'u O'o vent crater floor on Monday, and the creep of magma underground. More than 500 people reported feeling the earthquake, according the US Geological Survey (USGS). Shortly after, an astounding plume of pink ash rose into the sky....

MORE: https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/artic...nd-kilauea
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#2
Yazata Offline
Lava fountains in the streets?? (That doesn't sound normal...)

(May 4, 2018 08:30 PM)C C Wrote: A magnitude 5.0 earthquake shook the Big Island Thursday morning, roughly 4.3 miles southeast of the volcano—the latest in a string of dozen quakes signaling the collapse of the Pu'u O'o vent crater floor on Monday, and the creep of magma underground. More than 500 people reported feeling the earthquake, according the US Geological Survey (USGS). Shortly after, an astounding plume of pink ash rose into the sky....

A significantly larger magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck this afternoon in the eruption zone, with an epicenter near yesterday's 5.0. A 5.4 struck in the same place earlier today, about an hour prior to the 6.9. The USGS says that there have been at least seven earthquakes larger than 4.5 in that area in the last 24 hours. So the volcanic-related seismic activity seems to be increasing, perhaps indicating large movements of magma underground. No tsunami warnings.

https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/...#executive

https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/...dyad#pager

https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kil...tatus.html

https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kil...ology.html


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#3
Yazata Offline
Here's a Hawaii County civil defense alert.

http://www.hawaiicounty.gov/active-alerts

Some interesting news. Residents are being advised to conserve water. The main post office in Hilo is closed indefinitely due to structural damage from the earthquake. The National Guard is assisting with evacuation. And this:

"Hawaii fire department reports extremely dangerous air quality conditions due to high levels of Sulfur Dioxide gas in the evacuation area... The high levels detected are an immediate threat to life for all who become exposed. First responders may not be able to come to the aid of residents who refuse to evacuate. The area continues to be unstable with multiple volcanic eruptions happening. No one is allowed into the area. Do not attempt to return to your home at this time."
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#4
Yazata Offline
http://www.hawaiicounty.gov/active-alerts

They are saying that nine homes have been destroyed. They are letting locals with IDs through police checkpoints into part of the evacuation zone temporarily to get valuables. They warn those people to be very alert for dangerous lava and poison gas conditions and ask that they come back out asap to minimize the number of people in there.

There's another part of the evacuation area that's still closed and is judged too dangerous due to gas concentrations.

And they are asking people who don't live in the area to stay away, it's not a tourist attraction.

USGS says that a new fissure opened up this morning and lava fountains are reaching 70m (200+ ft) high. New cracks have been observed on a highway but no steam is escaping.

https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kil...tatus.html

Here's something I'd never heard of until today: Vog! (Volcanic fog, I'm guessing.)

Vog is the hazy smog-like conditions that volcanic emissions (Carbon Dioxide CO2, Sulfur Dioxide SO2) make when they react with air. (Making SO4 Sulfate ions? That could explain the haziness, since I believe SO2 is clear and colorless.)

http://ivhhn.org/vog/

http://ivhhn.org/vog/what-vog

http://mkwc.ifa.hawaii.edu/vmap/hysplit/

Judging from the animation below, it looks like gas is venting from several distinct spots (new volcanoes in potentia?) extending almost to the eastern tip of the Big Island.

http://mkwc.ifa.hawaii.edu/vmap/hysplit/...e=ensmax01
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#5
Yazata Offline
With all the volcanic activity, the ground appears to be constantly shaking along the whole south coast of the Big Island.

The USGS has 91 small earthquakes (oops, 92, another one just happened) recorded in the last 24 hours above magnitude 2.5

The thing that concerns me is how they are centered in a broad area towards the eastern point of the island (cape Kumukahi) south of Hilo. That's where the gasses are venting too. So something is happening eastwards extending about 15 miles (30km) from Kilauea. Kilauea is about the same distance to the east of the big volcano at Mauna Loa and now we might be getting the first signs of a couple of new volcanoes appearing further east along the same line (roughly).

https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/...%3Anull%7D
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#6
C C Offline
(May 6, 2018 10:38 PM)Yazata Wrote: [...] USGS says that a new fissure opened up this morning and lava fountains are reaching 70m (200+ ft) high. [...]


Almost sounded high enough to rival volcanic plumes on some other bodies in the solar system. Till I realized that the range was 38 to 300 miles on Io rather than feet.

Fortunately there's a lot more space to run away from something on that big island than on the "Book 'em, Danno!" one. A lot less populated than the latter, too.

~
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#7
Yazata Offline
USGS makes it sound like things are quieting down. They warn that it can pick up again.

There have "only" been about 60 small earthquakes in the last 24 hours, compared to 90 a day earlier.

https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kil...tatus.html

The number of structures destroyed stands at about 35. They are letting more residents into the evacuation area temporarily, but warn them to obey emergency workers and to be vigilant.

The electric company is trying to maintain electricity to the affected areas and are warning people to beware of downed power lines as they might still be live. The water company is trying to construct a bypass water line around a lava fissure to restore water to part of the area. In the mean time, there's a water tanker truck. There's a new warning about a zero tolerance policy for looters (anyone caught will be charged with a felony).

http://www.hawaiicounty.gov/active-alerts

I guess that this is what people get for in-effect living on top of an active volcano. (Which essentially is what the Big Island of Hawaii is.) Given what Mt. St Helens did, it could be a lot worse.
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#8
RainbowUnicorn Offline
any large aftershocks of the 6.9 could cause more lava to come out.
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#9
Yazata Offline
Looks like it's continuing to quiet down. Fewer earthquakes today than yesterday.

Some pretty dramatic photos and video here:

https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kil...ology.html

(May 8, 2018 10:17 AM)RainbowUnicorn Wrote: any large aftershocks of the 6.9 could cause more lava to come out.

From how they describe it, lava seems to be flowing away from the main Kilauea volcano. It's deflating, suggesting less pressure beneath it. There's a lake of molten lava in its main vent that's dropping. (It was filled to the top, now it's maybe 70 m below the rim.)


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At the same time, there's lots of new activity, fissures, lava extrusions and gas venting 20 - 30 km to the east. So the lava that was under the main volcano seems to be moving eastwards. Maybe the earthquake opened up cracks in the rock that the lava could force its way through. Or maybe the old vents under the main volcano are mostly solidified now and the subterranean pressure is looking for another way out. The USGS talk about the east Kilauea rift zone, and something's happening there, extending what looks to me like new volcanism all across the southern shore of the island.

https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories...e-1972.mp4

https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories...e-1966.mp4
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