New photos released of lava heading toward the ocean
The channelized flow show here just reaching the base of the Pulama pali is the leading edge of flows that destroyed the last occupied house in the Royal Gardens subdivision. One abandoned structure still stands. Other branches of the flow, spread across the pali at about the level of the top of the photo, will probably pour down over the pali in the coming days.
Snow on top of Mauan Loa, nearly 10,000 feet higher than Kilauea, can be seen in this photo of the summit with the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and Jaggar Museum in the foreground.
outherly winds afforded a rare view of the south side of the Overlook vent in Halema‘uma‘u Crater, within K?lauea’s caldera. The collapse crater that defines the opening of the vent is about 160 m (~525 ft) across and 80 m (~260 ft) deep. The fence for the old tourist overlook is faintly visible at the upper right side of the photo.
The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory released new pictures of the lava flow that consumed the last occupied home in the Royal Gardens subdivision in Kalapana.
The flow has now gone over the pali and is spreading out along the coastal plain on its way to a possible ocean entry. The leading edge of the east and west lobes of the flow about 2 miles from the ocean and 5.5 miles southeast of Puu Oo vent.
The last time the lava entered the ocean was in late December.
The observatory also released two other photos Tuesday. One shows the lava pit in Halemaumau Crater. South winds blew the emissions from the crater to the side, creating a rare view of the lava in the pit.
Another photo shows a snow-covered Mauna Loa with the summit of Kilauea and Halemaumau Crater in the foreground. Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and Jagger Museum visible above the crater rim.
