Numerous breakouts persist in the upper areas of the June 27 lava flow, Hawaii County Civil Defense reported Tuesday morning.
Numerous breakouts persist in the upper areas of the June 27 lava flow, Hawaii County Civil Defense reported Tuesday morning.
The lava breakouts, described as “small,” are located within the flow pad and along both margins of the flow, extending from about 8 miles upslope of the flow’s stalled leading edges to Kilauea Volcano’s Puu Oo vent, Civil Defense said.
A breakout on the northern flank of Puu Oo, which started Feb. 21, remained active on the northeastern base of the cone while the northern arm of another breakout near Kahaualea continued to burn trees north of Puu Kahaualea, the U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said. Breakouts also persist about 3 to 4 miles northeast of Puu Oo.
Activity in the downslope areas of the June 27 lava flow remained quiet Tuesday morning, officials said. They said there was “very little activity” in the area.
While it’s not advancing, glowing or steaming, officials said Monday they were not yet ready to call the lower half of the June 27 lava flow dead despite no advancement noted since March 13.
“The tube system is still a viable conduit,” Hawaii County Civil Defense Administrator Darryl Oliveira said. “If we see any kind of surge or increase up at the summit, it has the potential of transporting lava down.”
None of the activity posed an immediate threat to area communities, however, Civil Defense said.