bob@uhmanoa.UUCP (02/24/87)
This is the 222nd day of the 48th phase of the current eruption of Kilauea volcano on the island of Hawaii. There have been no recent changes in summit swelling or movement of magma down the rift zone, indicating that the current outflow of 650,000 cubic meters per day---which has continued at that volume for roughly six months now---will probably not change soon. On the surface, however, the current flow has again reached all the way down below the 450' elevation and again threatens parts of the Royal Gardens subdivision and the town of Kapaahu. Civil Defense officials last night evacuated five homes near the eastern boundary of the Royal Gardens subdivision and notified other residents that evacuation may be imminent, as brush fires caused by the nearby lava flows moved to within 1,000' of their houses. Although the lava flow appeared to slow as it reached a flat area bout a half mile to the east of the houses, the molten rock ignited the dry brush ahead of it. A controlled backfire is being considered. Smoke from the fires hampered tracking of the flow itself as it continued down the mountainside. The flow is about a mile and a half from the new Kalapana Bypass Highway, opened up less than two weeks ago, after lava covered the main coastal highway some 8 weeks ago. But, currently the flow is moving very slowly, and may or may not cover the highway. -- Bob Cunningham bob@hig.hawaii.edu
bob@uhmanoa.ics.hawaii.edu (Bob Cunningham) (04/19/88)
Recap of Kilauea eruption status over the last month or so... The east rift eruption continues unabated. Over the last month or so the output of lava may be increasing somewhat (though opinions differ, and it's hard to get good measurements) more than the 5 or so cubic meters per second that Kilauea has been producing almost continuously for the last 3-5 years. [5 cubic meters per second may not sound like all that much lava, but it adds up: if you think in terms of equivalent deliveries of "ready-mix" concrete trucks, that's about 70,000 truck deliveries a day.] Very few surface breakouts occur along the lava tube system between the vent and the ocean, although there are still a number of "skylights" where flowing lava is visible through holes in the covering crust. Lava continues to enter the sea at 3-4 points straddling Kupapau Point. Several "black sand" (basalt) beaches continue to develop in this area. Tiltmeter measurements indicate the summit of Kiluea is continuing to inflate, a general trend since June. Harmonic tremor [indicating deep lava movement towards the surface] continues in the east rift zone near Pu'u O'o and the eruptive vent. Minor changes in tremor amplitude continue occur at intervals varying from a few minutes to many hours. The latest earthquakes above magnitude 4 near the east rift zone were a 4.8 magnitude event at 0526HST on 20 March and a 4.2 magnitude event at 0547 HST on 30 March, both a few kilometers south of the eruptive vent. There has been a continuing series of moderate earthquakes in the area west of the island of Hawaii and south of Maui, typically ranging from 3.0 to 4.3 in magnitude. Earthquake activity in that area seems to be gradually decreasing, the last significant events were 5.0 at 1430HSt on 24 March, and a 5.3 event at 1733HSt on 27 March. Earthquakes between magnitude 3 and 4 are still common in both areas, and the weekly Geological Survey reports continue to contain plots of them. Tourists keep to flock to the shoreline, and National Park Service rangers have reported having some difficulties with too many people wandering closer than they should---not being aware of the dangers of steam explosions---to where lava is flowing into the sea. [Note that if you are thinking about coming and seeing this for yourself, because of the heat and fume, you shouldn't if you have any heart or lung problem.] Whether or not related Side note about real estate values... The eruption itself, and much of the land the lava has flowed over is within the Hawaii Volcanos National Park. However, some of the flow has covered private land, mostly in the Royal Gardens subdivision. The land was subdivided about 8 years ago, but has never been "improved" (no sidewalks, waterlines, etc...this is in a rural area). About six years ago, a typical one-acre lot was selling for about $12,000 (more if it had a good view of the shoreline). Although all the 1,505 lots were sold off by the developer, less than 100 houses had been built when the eruption started about five years ago. Now, lava covers many of the lots and 28 of the subdivision's houses, access to other houses have been cut off by the lava flows, access to others is limited to a temporary road through the Volcanoes National Park that will be closed indefinitely in May. Only about 15 people continue to live in about 10 houses in the subdivision now. A few lots are actually on the market now with asking prices around $2,500, but understandably none have been sold in over two years. In the words of a real estate broker, "Only an eccentric would want one." In contrast, 150 lots were in 1987 sold elsewhere in the Puna area (which has been something of a depressed area since the major employer, Puna Sugar Company, closed in the early 1980s) outside of the area affected by the eruption, ranging in price from $1,800 to $132,000. Besides abandoning their land, between 20-30% of the Royal Gardens lot owners aren't bothering to pay their property taxes anymore, even though the Hawaii County tax people have dropped the assessed values of most of the lots to $2,000 (many owners continuing to pay property taxes are contesting even this very low assessment). Lots actually covered with lava get the statutory minimum assessment of $7 per acre. [The property tax probably runs about $18 per $1000 of assessed value annually.] Bob Cunningham bob@loihi.hig.hawaii.edu