River of Volcanic Lava About to Hit Ocean in Hawaii in Spectacular Fashion

By Jim Liao, Epoch Times
July 11, 2016 Updated: July 11, 2016

The Hawaiian volcano Kilauea has been erupting continuously for over 30 years. Currently of interest is a beautiful lava lake at the volcano’s summit and another lava stream flowing from an area called Pu’u ‘O’o in a direct course to the ocean. 

The lava flow which started May 24 now spans about six and half miles.

“We’ve noticed that the lava flow has advanced, across the coastal plains anywhere from 200 to 800 yards a day,” Steven Brantley, with United States Geographical Survey (USGS) Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, told KITV.

Viewers are curious to see what happens when the lava meets water. But the flow has stalled of late, reportedly due to breakouts that have diverted the flow’s lava supply.

On Friday, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory spokeswoman Janet Babb said that the flow remains 0.7 of a mile from the coastline and about 0.6 of a mile from a emergency route used for lava viewing inside Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

“Lava viewing is still ongoing by using our emergency road, we are asking people to stay on the road and not go off the road onto private properties,” said Edward Teixeira, with Hawaii County Civil Defense. 

Helicopters viewing the lava from the air say that no homes or communities are in danger.

Teixeira expects the lava to enter the Pacific Ocean within 3-5 days, and warns locals that entry could present new hazards. Lava entering the ocean is known to produce lava explosions as well as release corrosive and dangerous gases, such as sulfuric acid.
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