Puu Oo’s lava flow stalls

Photo gallery: Eruption photos

The new lava flow from Puu Oo crater has stalled within the Kahaualea Natural Reserve Area, scientists at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said Sunday.

Lava continues to flow from the fissure breakout that started Wednesday. An overflight of the flow yesterday showed the aa (rough and blocky lava) flow had advanced only a few hundred yards to the southeast before stalling.

Most of the active lava was spreading out at a higher elevation south and west of Puu Halulu a little less than a mile northeast of Puu Oo crater. There was no visible activity within Puu Oo crater Sunday morning, but there were several glowing spots overnight, scientists said.

At Halemaumau at the Kilauea summit, a piece of the north ledge dropped into the lava lake in the crater floor. The lake level has fluctuated but is generally dropping and is about 245 feet below the crater floor.

Lava from Puu Oo advanced about 2.3 miles between Wednesday morning and Friday before stalling over the weekend. If it continues southeast, it could pose a threat to the mostly abandoned Royal Gardens subdivision.