Hawaii volcano eruption aerial views: Latest pictures as burning BLUE FLAMES emerge
TWO explosions saw Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano shoot ash clouds as high as 8,000 feet as ethereal blue flames rippled eerily above road cracks in nearby Leilani Estates. Here are the latest aerial views and pictures of the eruptions.
By KAT HOPPS
Express.co.uk
Thu, May 24, 2018
The first volcanic explosion at dawn was followed by a second one several hours later, which US Geological Survey (USGS) volcanologist Wendy Stovall attributed to steam bursting from deep inside the crater.
Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency issued a warning at 6pm local time on Wednesday (5am BST time Thursday) warning a fresh lava flow was expected to hit the Pacific Ocean within hours.
The lava is predicted to hit the sea east of MacKenzie State Park as fissures continue to spew lava and toxic gases in the Lower East Rift Zone.
The Agency said the situation “remains stable”, while spirits were buoyed by a separate crisis being averted at Puna Geothermal Venture (PGV) plant.
The facility, which provides 25 percent of Big Island’s electricity, was at risk of producing polluting toxic gases after lava flowed onto the property.
But scientists managed to cool and plug the deep underground wells at threat.
In a bit of good luck, a pocket of cooled and hardened lava created a 30-foot high wall diverting fresh flows away from the PGV plant.
The latest aerial shots from Wednesday show the huge magnitude of Kilauea’s eruptions, as lava is ejected 60 metres high into the air.
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