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COURTESY HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY
Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists hiked across the latest lava flow field, dubbed 61g, to investigate the above breakout Wednesday at the base of the hill on Kilauea Volcano’s south flank. Toes of active pahoehoe lava were slowly advancing on top of older flows that erupted earlier this year.
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The latest lava flow from Kilauea Volcano, which scientists have dubbed 61g, continues to produce glowing pahoehoe on the east rift zone, while lava entering the ocean at Kamokuna is generating a plume of acrid steam.
These lava flows currently pose no threat to nearby communities, the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said on its website Friday.
Meanwhile the lava lake at Kilauea’s summit continues to circulate and spatter. The surface of the lake Friday morning was 22 feet below the adjacent floor of Halemaumau Crater.
On the east rift zone, webcams show surface flows persisting from a breakout in the upper portion of the 61g flow field southeast of the Puu Oo vent.
At the ocean entry, activity is concentrated on the eastern side of the delta, the volcano observatory said. Prominent cracks in the surface of the relatively large eastern lava delta suggest instability and an increased potential for large submarine landslides.
Observatory scientists continue to warn the public about getting too close to the lava entering the sea. Not only could the flow collapse, but flying debris results when the molten rock hits the water.
Also, the interaction of lava with the ocean creates a corrosive seawater plume laden with hydrochloric acid and fine volcanic particles that can irritate the skin, eyes and lungs.
A small earthquake of magnitude 2.9 struck Hawaii island just after 9 a.m. Friday. The epicenter was 2.5 miles southwest of Volcano village at a depth of 2.2 miles.