Up to 10 acres of lava rock collapses into sea
HILO » Five to 10 acres of the 60-acre lava "bench" on the coast of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park has collapsed into the sea.
The exact size of Sunday's collapse won't be known until Friday when aerial mapping is done, and that number may not be completely accurate because the gap left by the collapse is already filling with new lava, said Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologist Christina Heliker.
The bench, also known as a lava delta, is an area of newly solidified shoreline rock sitting on top of loose, older rocks that are unstable.
The last major collapse was Nov. 28 when 44 acres of rock disappeared into the sea, including an entire 34-acre bench plus 10 acres of older cliff behind the bench. It was the largest Kilauea Volcano bench collapse recorded.
Tour helicopters reported Sunday that they saw a sudden cloud of white steam beginning at 12:49 p.m. with a black cloud at its base, Heliker said yesterday. The white cloud is believed to have been pure steam, while the black area is believed to be steam mixed with small pieces of spattered rock, she said.
Although the cloud lasted about 10 minutes, the collapse is believed to have taken place in a single moment, she said. Helicopters saw fresh lava flowing into the sea when clouds cleared, she said.
Park hikers also saw the event from a roped-off viewing point 330 feet from the bench, she said.