News Alert – Hawaii’s Kilauea Volcano Lava Now Melts 700 Houses Lava flowing from the Kilauea volcano on Hawaii’s Big Island has claimed as many as 700 homes. Bob Fenton, FEMA administrator for the region, said assessments are taking place to determine if renters and homeowners will be eligible for individual FEMA assistance, which would offer payouts averaging $4,000 and maxing out at $34,000.
He said nonprofit organizations are currently offering the bulk of resources and assistance to evacuees, and he encouraged people who have insurance to use it.
Eruption of lava continues from the lower East Rift Zone (LERZ) fissure system in the area of Leilani Estates. A line of closely spaced vents at Fissure 8 are continuing to erupt producing fountains reaching heights up to 160 feet, just higher than the spatter cone around them. This activity continues to feed the fast moving channelized flow that is entering the ocean at Kapoho.
Weak spattering is continuing at Fissures 16/8 as has been noted for the last several days. This morning’s overflight observed a small overflow of a minor pond on the east side of Fissure 8 that did not extend beyond earlier Fissure 8 lavas. Lava was entering the ocean over a broader length this morning with several minor incandescent points and small plumes and two larger entries and corresponding plumes.
The upwelling areas were also more dispersed than yesterday. Kīlauea Volcano Summit At 1:52 AM HST, another small ash-poor explosion occurred at Kīlauea’s summit. This event and many of its precursory earthquakes were widely felt in the Volcano area.
Seismicity dropped following the event as it typically has with recent explosions. Inward slumping of the rim and walls of Halema`uma`u continues in response to ongoing subsidence at the summit.
Reblogged this on Blue Dragon Journal.