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New photos show extent of lava flow in Halemaumau

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  • USGS / HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY
    Over the past week
  • is easier to distinguish in this view.
  • USGS / HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY
    This Tuesday photo gives a closer look at the lava lake and overflows on the floor of Halemaumau Crater. The outline of the Overlook crater
  • with breakouts focused in several areas northeast of Puu Oo. The farthest downslope activity observed on today's overflight was roughly 5 miles northeast of PuÊ»u ʻŠʻŠ. This photograph shows one of the active breakouts closer to PuÊ»u ʻŠʻŠ.
  • USGS / HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY
    The June 27th lava flow remains active
  • creating the dark flows in the south part of Halemaumau (left side of crater from this direction) seen in this Tuesday photo.
  • the summit lava lake in the Overlook crater rose and spilled out onto the floor of Halemaumau Crater

Overflowing lava covered about 28 acres of Halemaumau Crater floor since last week, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists said.

The observatory released new photos of the lava lake and lava flows from Puu Oo vent taken during a helicopter overflight Tuesday.

Scientists said Wednesday morning that the lava lake remains at or near the rim of the crater on the floor of Halemaumau. Seismicity beneath the summit and upper East and Southeast Rift Zones remains active, with three earthquakes of magnitude 2.0 to 2.5 recorded Wednesday morning.

A small lava flow began flowing at Puu Oo Crater early Wednesday morning, as surface lava flows remained active northeast of the crater. Most of the surface lava are less than two miles from the vent, with the furthest flow about five miles northeast of the crater, far from populated areas. One flow is burning in a forest area.

Lava from Puu Oo approached the outskirts of Pahoa in September, but the flows stopped in March.

Over the last two weeks, the lava lake in Halemaumau rose to near the crater floor and overflowed. The sight of lava in Halemaumau, last visible from the crater rim in 1974, has drawn crowds of visitors to the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, especially at night.

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