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Forty-Four Acres of Coastline Collapse in Hawaii

stream of lava from newly exposed cliff side

It all happened this week. A glowing stream of lava shot out from the newly exposed cliff-side 45 feet above the water is let loose. This followed the collapse of about 44 acres of coastline into the ocean. The plume was 6 feet in diameter. It sent up a tower of steam as it hit the water and began forming a ramp of new land. Since Kilauea Volcano began its current eruption in 1983, the collapse of solidified lava shelf and sea cliff this Monday was the largest. Rumblings tipped scientists to Monday’s collapse, which took about 4 1/2 hours. Even at that relatively slow pace, the effect was spectacular. The collapse sent out globs of lava and head-size boulders.

It was after the Hawaiian goddess of fire, that the sheets of volcanic glass are called as limu o Pele. The thin strands of volcanic glass known as Pele’s hair were found 1,800 feet inland. “The cliff just caved away like a glacier,” said park spokesman Jim Gale. “It just sheared off that old wall. There’s this gigantic steam plume and you see the red just falling down — an incredible fire hose display.”

Via: Environmental News Network

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