Hawaii Mount Kilauea: Explosive eruption at volcano

BBC ^ | 11 minutes ago

[BenLurkin]

A red aviation code had already been issued - warning pilots to avoid the potentially damaging ash cloud.

The USGS had warned that an explosive eruption at Kilauea was becoming more likely as the volcano's lava lake was lowering. This means it interacts with the water table and creates steam - driving the blasts.

Hawaii's emergency management agency advised local people to shelter in place if possible.

[BenLurkin]

Stay safe Hawaii FReepers

[norcal joe]

The red alert occurred yesterday, and didn’t affect any flights into or out of Kona or Hilo.

[SamAdams76]

This is a big one. Big puffy clouds of ash spewing forth from Hawaii volcano. I went to the Volcano national park there a few years go. They have a Volcano Winery near by. There was a little hissing and steaming even back then (it's been technically in an active state for decades now). They charged a good amount of money to visit the park - I think it was $35/person at the time. They showed movies and had us look out a big window to see the steaming. Most of the visitors wore shorts and sandals. I also wore a loud Hawaiian shirt - like the one Elvis wore for that one movie. A little underwhelmed by the Volcano Winery. Now just the fact they had a winery on Hawaii was impressive. But very expensive - especially if you want to ship a case or two back to the mainland.

Anyway, big volcano here. I wonder how this one will play out.

[Jane Long]

Amen.

[SaxxonWoods]

When you have a hurricane the storm is over in a day and the land is still there for rebuilding. Lava flows make land useless for many years. The uncertainty of when it stops, or IF it stops must be devastating.

[Delta 21]

Carbon/sulfer dioxide tax on every Hawaiian this year will likely break them.

Back to canoes and coconut milk!

[Shark24]

But not something to ignore. See previous incident:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Airways_Flight_9

[seawolf101]

Anyway, big volcano here. I wonder how this one will play out.

Either you learn from history or you are condemned to relive it. These people live on a giant live volcano. I wonder if they ever heard of Mount Vesuvius and Pompeii.

I do not want to appear heartless but they knew it was and still is a live volcano.

[sheana]

Not the same type of. volcanos. They know that too. 🤪

[Dapper 26]

You are correct Sheana. Hawaii volcanoes are “shield” volcanoes as opposed to “explosive” volcanoes like Mt St Helens. Shield volcanoes are more gradual eruptions, lots of warning, etc. The current “eruption” on the Big Island has been going on for nearly 40 years, building hundreds of acres of land along the coastline. What is now occurring in the outbreak of lava consuming - now about 37 - homes is not new. The outbreaks are in an area known for lava activity FOR GENERATIONS. Generations of families have lived in this area, many living a self sustaining lifestyle, because of its beauty, isolation and culture ( very community oriented ). They rely of family, neighbors and friends when “Madame Pele” visits them and “reclaims her property”. It is NOT a catastrophe them. The “explosive eruption” at Halemaumau Crater is not like the Mt St Helen’s explosion. It is much smaller, was predicted as a release of pressure in the crater which has been subsiding. The ash plume will mostly be driven toward the ocean by the trade winds, over the Kau desert. Some residences will experience light ashfall. Currently, it is raining in the area of the ash plume. The rain will have a cleansing effect to a certain degree and continued rainfall will do some “washing” for cars, roof tops, etc. Yes, we live on an active volcano, have done so all my life and I can witness, every day, the awesomeness of nature. I have to laugh at the “Global Warming” people who say mankind is destroying our climate when I see this kind of volcanic activity. I wonder how much “pollution” has been emitted within the last week into our atmosphere? It is a thousand SUVs worth or maybe a million? Where will Al Gore send THIS carbon tax bill??

[sheana]

Ahh you live there. Mind if I ask where? We own property in Hawaiian Paradise Park and we visit Hilo often so yeah I know the area well. It’s my favorite part of Hawaii. They can have Honolulu and even Maui. I love the big island.

[publius911]

I went to the Volcano national park there a few years go... ... There was a little hissing and steaming even back then (it's been technically in an active state for decades now). They charged a good amount of money to visit the park - I think it was $35/person at the time...

Looking back, I feel fortunate to have spent a month vacation with an old family friend who was the Project manager for a large subdivision built in the vicinity of Honaunau, a few miles north of the crater. He was there for four years. Our visit must have been in late 1971, about 8 months before the big eruption of 1972. That was the beginning of the series that is ongoing today.

At that time the road was just a few hundred yards from the crater, and we spent about a half hour walking around the rim and saw the red mass far below and steam, but no noise; we were the only group there; after that we retraced our steps a few miles west to the City of Refuge, where I experienced my first (and only) two hour scuba dive experience.

I remember there being no barriers whatsoever at the crater, we could get as close to the edge as we dared and, there was no charge whatsoever. Late the following year, 1972, I understand the road we had used ended up under 12 feet of cooled lava.

I was young and stupid then. You couldn't pay me today to get anywhere near that thing.
Eventually the house my friend had rented was destroyed by a shallow flow of lava.

Thee place was like paradise back then. I remember going for walks and coming back to the house with an armful of avocadoes which were hanging over the fence along the road.

And then there was the great mongoose adventure, but that is a whole other story...

[SamAdams76]

I would like to live in Hawaii someday (Big Island) and take my chances with the volcano - especially since it is, as you describe, the type of volcano that gives you plenty of warning.

I like driving around the Big Island, all the different micro-climates. Some parts look like a rain forest and other parts look like ranch land in Texas.

[Hawthorn]

>> I wonder how much “pollution” has been emitted within the last week into our atmosphere? <<

I’m hoping it’s enough to give us a cooling effect, just the way the summer cooled down when Pinatubo blew up in 1991.

[sheana]

I love the big island. We own property there (inherited years ago) and have tried and tried to get hubby to move there. I’m thinking about putting a yurt on our property so that anyone in the family can go when they want. Daughters boyfriend is an electrician and said he’d do solar on it. We’re headed there in September to get the process started.

https://www.yurts.com/standard-custom-features/

[sheana]

I actually had plans to do a central living area surrounded by 3 small yurts as bedrooms. A small yurt is a good way to start.

[Dapper 26]

When i left for college in 1962, our population was about 90,000 on the island. We are now beyond 200,000 and growing. Just driving around the island only let’s you notice what’s available. Get a 4 wheel drive and go to places like Waipio Valley, Mauna Kea summit, Mana Road, etc to really see snow, sunny beaches, desert and rain forest in one day. But please, don’t try to make the Big Island like the place you left when you get here. It is a different lifestyle, different culture, different climate. Embrace it as it is or you will not like it.

[Dapper 26]

I’m sure someone will come up with a “pollution count” but in my estimation, it is incalculable, except by some computer model someone set up. It rained nearly the entire day in the Hilo, Puna, Volcano area, cleaning the air of ash somewhat but vog is still visible. I’m not sure of the ash levels downwind of the smoke / ash plume in the towns of Pahala, Naalehu or even Kona. This is summer and the weather is warm and humid, not much of an impact of “cooling” that I can notice and i live in Hilo.

[SamAdams76]

I like it the way it is.