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Kilauea lava flows reaching the ocean


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POSTED: Friday, November 06, 2009

 

 

VOLCANO, Big Island >> Erupting Kilauea volcano is sending dozens of small lava flows to the ocean.

Jim Kauahikaua is the scientist-in-charge at the U.S. Geological Survey's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory on the Big Island.

He said a flow destroyed a cabin this week. It was the last remaining structure in a flow field.

Kauahikaua added that the flows have come close to the trailhead leading to a lava viewing area, and have entered the ocean about 2,300 feet west of the still-active ocean entry at Waikupanaha.

He said flows are also creating a new lava tube system next to and over the main tube that has supplied lava to the ocean since March 2008.