(BIVN) – A partial delta collapse at the Kamokuna ocean entry has given birth to an impressive new lava breakout.
Shane Turpin of Lava Ocean Tours reported the new activity on Sunday, saying the lava tube broke open again, which coincided with channelized lava flowing across the delta into the sea. The lava included what appeared to be an a’a flow, which has been a rare sight at the ocean entry during the 61g episode.
On Monday, the scientists with the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory conveyed that “park visitors reported that a portion of the lava delta at the ocean entry collapsed yesterday around noon.”
The collapse was not unexpected. Thermal images collected by scientists during a June 21 overflight revealed a hot crack on the delta. Such cracks are common on lava deltas, USGS said, and suggest sagging and instability at the front of the delta.
