Hawaii hits one month of vigorous lava flows — and shows no signs of relenting

Precisely one month ago, a 500-foot long crack in the ground opened up in Hawaii’s Leilani Estates neighborhood, spewing lava into the air. At the time, volcanologists weren’t sure what might happen next, and whether lava flows would continue through the community.

Since then, the state reports that lava has now blanketed over 2,300 acres of land, over 2,000 people have been evacuated, and a “vigorous eruption” of lava continues in the southeastern corner of Hawaii.

On June 2, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said lava crossed over highways and filled a small lake, which “apparently evaporated all the water.” By this morning, the USGS reported the lava flow was half a mile wide, and headed toward the ocean. Read more…

More about Science, Hawaii, Volcanic Eruption, Lava, and Usgs