volcano

Hawaii volcano: Aerial footage shows extent of sprawling Kilauea lava flow

By Danny Clemens
Saturday, May 19, 2018
Aerial footage shows a sprawling lava flow from the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii.
VOLCANO, Hawaii -- Arresting new footage shows lava from Hawaii's Kilauea volcano as it creeps across the Big Island, destroying everything in its path.

The helicopter footage shows fires burning and smoke rising across miles of lava-charred landscape. Just feet away from the destruction sits Hawaii's normally verdant landscape, lush with vegetation yet dangerously close to the threatening lava.
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The United States Geological Survey shot the footage the morning of Saturday, May 19, in the vicinity of fissure 20. Fountaining lava is visible in the background of the shot.



USGS said activity at the fissure began to intensify on May 18. The lava is moving inconsistently and with a frequently shifting rate of flow, according to the agency.

Elsewhere, Kilauea's activity continues to threaten property. On Saturday evening, lava flows destroyed four additional homes in a neighborhood previously threatened by volcanic activity, and officials say more than 40 homes and other buildings have been destroyed by lava since the volcanic activity began weeks ago.
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"We have no way of knowing whether this is really the beginning or toward the end of this eruption," Tom Shea, a volcanologist at the University of Hawaii, told the Associated Press. "We're kind of all right now in this world of uncertainty."



Experts estimate that much of the lava that has emerged thus far has been underground for decades, possibly dating back to a 1955 eruption.

PHOTOS: Hawaii's Kilauea volcano eruption, fissures and lava
Lava flows and hazardous volcanic particles continue to be emitted by Hawaii's Kilauea volcano on Saturday, June 9.none
Lava flows and hazardous volcanic particles continue to be emitted by Hawaii's Kilauea volcano on Saturday, June 9.none
Lava flows and hazardous volcanic particles continue to be emitted by Hawaii's Kilauea volcano on Saturday, June 9.none
Lava flows and hazardous volcanic particles continue to be emitted by Hawaii's Kilauea volcano on Saturday, June 9.none
Lava flows and hazardous volcanic particles continue to be emitted by Hawaii's Kilauea volcano on Saturday, June 9.none
Kilauea's lower East Rift Zone, showing continued fountaining of a fissure and the lava flow channel fed by it near the town of Kapoho on the island of Hawaii.none
The remains of the Kapoho Beach Lots subdivision and a fissure flow front at the town of Kapoho on the island of Hawaii.none
This satellite image provided by Digital Globe captured June 5, 2018, shows lava flows on most of Kapoho Bay in Hawaii.none
A fissure continues to blast lava several hundred feet in the air and flow towards Kapoho as the Kilauea Volcano lower east rift zone eruption continues on June 6, 2018, in Pahoa.none
Lava from a fissure flowing into the ocean at Kapoho Bay at Kapoho on the island of Hawaii.none
An aerial view of fissure 22 looking toward the south, as Kilauea Volcano continues its eruption cycle near Pahoa on the island of Kilauea, Hawaii.none
Lava sends up clouds of steam and toxic gases as it enters the Pacific Ocean as Kilauea Volcano continues its eruption cycle near Pahoa on the island of Kilauea, Hawaii.none
Lava erupts from a fissure in the Leilani Estates neighborhood near Pahoa on the island of Hawaii.none
Heath Dalton, right, and Jim Carpenter take pictures as fissures spew lava in the Leilani Estates subdivision near Pahoa, Hawaii, Tuesday, May 22, 2018.none
A photographer records lava erupting from a fissure in Kapoho, Hawaii Monday, May 21, 2018.none
Steam plumes rise as lava enters the Pacific Ocean, after flowing to the water from a Kilauea volcano fissure, on Hawaii's Big Island on May 21, 2018 near Pahoa, Hawaii.none
This Saturday, May 19, 2018, at 8:18 AM HST, aerial photo released by the U.S. Geological Survey, lava flows emerging from the elongated fissure.none
Lava explodes above a tree on Kilauea volcano, Sunday, May 20, 2018 near Pahoa, Hawaii.none
Lava from Kilauea volcano lights up the evening sky near Pahoa, Hawaii, Saturday, May 19, 2018none
Members of the media record a wall of lava entering the ocean near Pahoa, Hawaii, Sunday, May 20, 2018.none
Lava enters the ocean off Highway 137 near Pahoa, Hawaii, Sunday, May 20, 2018.none
This Thursday, May 17, 2018 image provided by the U.S. Geological Survey shows a view of the ash plume resulting from an early morning explosion at Kilauea Volcano, in Hawaii.AP
Lava shoots into the night sky from active fissures on the lower east rift of Kilauea volcano, Tuesday, May 15, 2018 near Pahoa, Hawaii.AP
Volcanic gases and ash rise from recent lava fissures near Pahoa, Hawaii on Monday, May 14, 2018.AP
Lava shoots into the night sky from active fissures on the lower east rift of Kilauea volcano, Tuesday, May 15, 2018 near Pahoa, Hawaii.AP
Gases rise from lava fissure 18 after it erupted early Sunday, May 13, 2018, near Pahoa, Hawaii.AP
Lava shoots into the night sky from active fissures on the lower east rift of Kilauea volcano, Tuesday, May 15, 2018 near Pahoa, Hawaii.AP
Officials on the Big Island of Hawaii say some vents formed by Kilauea are releasing such high levels of sulfur dioxide that the gas poses an immediate danger to anyone nearby.AP
Gases rise from lava fissure 18 after it erupted early Sunday, May 13, 2018, near Pahoa, Hawaii.AP
Lava shoots into the night sky from active fissures on the lower east rift of Kilauea volcano, Tuesday, May 15, 2018 near Pahoa, Hawaii.AP
Lava shoots into the night sky from active fissures on the lower east rift of Kilauea volcano, Tuesday, May 15, 2018 near Pahoa, Hawaii.AP
In this May 13, 2018 frame from video released by the U.S. Geological Survey, gases rise from a fissure near Pahoa, Hawaii.AP
Volcanic gases and ash rise from recent lava fissures near Pahoa, Hawaii on Monday, May 14, 2018. The field of hardened lava rocks in the foreground is from previous eruptions.AP
This May 16, 2018, image provided by the U.S. Geological Survey shows lava spattering from an area between active Fissures 16 and 20.AP
Kilauea's summit crater glows red in Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii. Wednesday, May 9, 2018.AP
A plume of ash rises from the Puu Oo vent on Hawaii’s Kilauea Volcano after a magnitude 5.0 earthquake, Thursday, May 3, 2018.AP
In this April 22, 2018, photo provided by the U.S. Geological Survey, lava spatters at the edge of Kilauea's Halemaumau Crater in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.AP
Lava is shown burning in Leilani Estates subdivision near the town of Pahoa on Hawaii'€™s Big Island.AP
This Saturday, May 5, 2018, photo shows lava from fissure 7 slowly advancing to the northeast on Hookapu Street in Leilani Estates.AP
In this photo released by U.S. Geological Survey, ash plume rises above the Puu Oo vent, on Hawaii's Kilauea Volcano Thursday, May 3, 2018, in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.AP
In this Wednesday, May 9, 2018, photo, an ash column rises from the crater at the summit of Kilauea volcano at Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii.AP
This Monday, May 7, 2018, photo from the U.S. Geological Survey shows cracks in Highway 130, outlined on orange paint, in the Leilani Estates subdivision.AP


The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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