On Friday morning, a crew from the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory noticed something new about the Hawaii coastline. A new island appeared to be forming, made of lava and producing tons of steam. It’s an estimated 20- to 30-feet long right now.
Scientists think that this is part of the fissure 8 lava flow, or that it’s a submarine tumulus. A submarine tumulus can build up when the pressure of slow lava pushes the surface of the flow up above the water, creating a “dome-shaped form,” detailed Hawaii Tribune-Herald .
The fissure 8 lava flow is flowing on the west side of the Kapoho Crater, and splashing into the ocean 300 meters west of the Kapoho ocean entry, reported Big Island Now . The “island” is at the northernmost part of where the lava flow is entering the ocean, according to Khon2 .
The plume of steam that is caused when lava enters the ocean, called “lava haze” or “laze,” produces hydrochloric acid which can lead to lung damage. The volcano is also releasing sulfur dioxide, volcanic ash, and glass. Also, explosions can occur as the hot lava enters cold water.
In addition to the new “island,” Hawaii also now has an extra 585 acres of land that wasn’t there before the volcano erupted. The land mass is expected to continue growing. The USGS estimates that ten acres are added to the island every day, according to Forbes . Any “new land” will belong to the Hawaiian state government. Whenever the lava stops flowing, the land could become state parks or beaches.
Lava from the Kilauea Volcano on Hawaii’s big island have created a tiny new island off its coast #tictocnews pic.twitter.com/ijnaQLib9n
— Bloomberg Quicktake (@Quicktake) July 15, 2018
For now, there doesn’t appear to be an end in sight for the lava flow, said Hawaii News Now . It’s been more than 10 weeks since the eruptions started. More than 700 homes have been destroyed with hundreds more being damaged.
? Lava flowing into the Pacific Ocean #Volcano #Lava #Ocean #Kilauea #Hawaii #BigIsland #Lavaflow pic.twitter.com/jDonqVuh83
— Marie ?? (@7eights2nine10) July 6, 2018
Meanwhile, the Kilauea volcano eruption is still wreaking havoc. The lava continues to flow from Fissure 8, with much of the coastline now covered in lava. The caldera continues to have collapse events, which can feel like an earthquake to residents. The latest collapse event was on Thursday, and residents were advised to “check their utility connections of electricity, water and gas.”
https://twitter.com/ZonePhysics/status/1015239909693640704
Lava has consumed important landmarks and buildings, even evaporating the largest lake on the island. The latest places to be consumed by lava include the Ahalanui Beach Park and Kua O Ka La Public Charter School, said Newsweek . In addition to the lava causing physical damage, the lava is also releasing gases into the air.
