Hawaii volcano update: Latest aerial views show DEVASTATION left by lava
FRESH evacuations have seen residents fleeing their Big Island homes as Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano spews out its hottest lava yet since violent eruptions began on May 3.
By KAT HOPPS
Express.co.uk
Thu, May 31, 2018
Residents living in two coastal communities at the southern-eastern tip of the island were told told to leave immediately on Wednesday by civil defence officials or risk becoming isolated by incoming lava.
Molten rivers from fissures in the lower East Rift Zone surged towards Kapoho Beach Lots and Vacationland.
Hawaii News Now estimates there to be around 500 homes in the area.
Geologists says the intensity of the burning lava from fissure 8 is unlike anything they have witnessed before.
US Geological Survey (USGS) scientist Wendy Stovall said: “This is the hottest lava that we’ve seen in this eruption, even just a matter of 50 degrees centigrade makes a big difference in how quickly lava flows can move and how they behave once the magma exits the vent.
She added: “It can’t get hotter than where we are. We are pretty much tapping mantle temperatures right now.”
A separate lava flow from fissure 18 also crept towards Highway 137, approaching Beach Road, forcing government officials to restrict travel along the latter to aid evacuations.
In its latest update at 10.11pm Hawaii Time on Wednesday (9.11am BST Thursday), USGS said Fissure 8 was spouting lava fountains as high as 200 to 250 feet.
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