Hot lava "firehose" is pouring into ocean in Hawaii

Transcription

1 Hot lava "firehose" is pouring into ocean in Hawaii By Associated Press, adapted by Newsela staff on Word Count 714 TOP: A January 29, 2017, photo provided by the U.S. Geological Survey shows a lava stream pouring out of a tube on the sea cliff at the Kamokuna ocean entry at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island of Hawaii. Photo from: U.S. Geological Survey via AP BELOW: Hawaiian Volcanoes National Park. Photo by: Anton Backer HONOLULU, Hawaii A dramatic "firehose" stream of molten lava continued to shoot out of a sea cliff Wednesday on Hawaii's Big Island. It was splashing into the Pacific Ocean below and exploding upon impact. The massive flow originates from within the Kilauea volcano, but it is gushing from a natural tunnel known as a lava tube. The tube was exposed when a huge, 26-acre lava delta new land formed by cooling lava collapsed into the ocean on New Year's Eve. The collapse of the delta triggered massive explosions and giant waves. The lava stream has been dubbed a "firehose" flow because it shoots lava outward from the source. It started out as a drizzle coming down the sea cliffs after the New Year's Eve collapse, but it has recently increased in strength. The molten lava is now arching out and falling about 70 feet to the ocean below. When the molten lava hits the cool seawater, a series of violent explosions result. These explosions can throw large chunks of hot rock and debris inland and seaward. This article is available at 5 reading levels at 1

2 Tour Boat Captains Keep A Watchful Eye Tour boat captains whose vessels cruise along the shoreline are constantly watching the cliffs and lava to keep their passengers safe, said tour boat owner Shane Turpin, who runs Lava Ocean Tours. "We've never had an incident," he said. "We're always watching for what the cliff is doing. Is it moving? Are the rocks rolling down the cliff? We can actually see the changes throughout the day." Turpin said the latest flow is "definitely the most dramatic firehose event I've ever witnessed in the last three decades of viewing lava." On land, the National Park Service is responsible for the safety of visitors to the coastline, many of whom are eager to witness the firehouse stream. It has restricted the areas people can enter to view the flow, but Turpin said he frequently sees people on the cliff edge where they shouldn't be. Cliff Edge Is Very Dangerous The cliff edge is part of a ledge formed out of cooling lava, which sits above the level of the original shoreline. Such ledges known as lava benches can collapse at any time without warning. If someone was on the edge during a collapse, they would likely lose their life, said Cindy Orlando, the superintendent of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Despite signs and roped-off areas, people still cross the boundaries and go to the edge of the cliffs near the lava flow, Orlando said. Park rangers have issued tickets to people who cross into off-limits areas, but it is nearly impossible to prevent everyone from breaking the rules, Orlando said. One of the biggest concerns is a large "hot crack" in the rock above the firehose flow, said government geologist Janet Babb. The crack runs parallel to the sea cliff and makes the surrounding land prone to collapse. When the large delta collapsed on Dec. 31, it sent hot rocks and lava flying into the air and giant waves outward. "The seaward side of that crack could fall away," said Babb, who works at the Hawaii Volcano Observatory. "That is of great concern because if it does, it's going to drop a lot of hot rock into the water, and hot rock mixing with cool seawater makes for explosive interactions." Steam From Hot Lava Hitting The Water Is Also A Problem The steam plume created by the lava reaching the water is also a concern. "It's superheated steam laced with hydrochloric acid from the interaction with the seawater and has shards of volcanic glass," she said. "It's something to be avoided." This article is available at 5 reading levels at 2

3 Babb said this firehose event is unusual because it has lasted so long. Usually when a flow opens up like this, the lava quickly builds new land below and plugs the entry. "In this case, there's no evidence of a new delta forming," Babb said. Babb and others suspect that the ocean floor along that stretch of coast is very steep, which might be causing lava to roll away from the shoreline instead of pooling and gradually forming new land. Kilauea has been erupting continuously since 1983, and the most recent vent flow that is reaching the ocean began last summer. "There's no indication of it slowing down or stopping," Babb said. This article is available at 5 reading levels at 3

4 Quiz 1 Read the following statement. The spectacle of lava flow encourages some people to act in ways that are unsafe. Which sentence from the article BEST supports the statement above? "We've never had an incident," he said. "We're always watching for what the cliff is doing. It has restricted the areas people can enter to view the flow, but Turpin said he frequently sees people on the cliff edge where they shouldn't be. Such ledges known as lava benches can collapse at any time without warning. If someone was on the edge during a collapse, they would likely lose their life, said Cindy Orlando, the superintendent of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. 2 Which idea is BEST supported by the paragraphs in the section "Steam From Hot Lava Hitting The Water Is Also A Problem"? The lava flow will soon stop flowing because a new delta will form. The lava flow is dangerous because it emits seawater into the atmosphere. The lava flow has been flowing continuously since The lava flow is unique because it has been flowing uninterrupted for a long time. 3 Read the first paragraph of the introduction [paragraphs 1-4]. A dramatic "firehose" stream of molten lava continued to shoot out of a sea cliff Wednesday on Hawaii's Big Island. It was splashing into the Pacific Ocean below and exploding upon impact. Adding which of these sentences to the paragraph would help to explain the meaning of the word "molten" in the context of the article? The active volcano has been a tourist attraction for many years. The liquefied rock poses safety hazards for visitors. The island features many rock formations made out of lava. The combination of lava and water creates very hot steam. This article is available at 5 reading levels at 4

5 4 What is the meaning of the word "plume" as used in the following sentence from the section "Steam From Hot Lava Hitting The Water Is Also A Problem"? The steam plume created by the lava reaching the water is also a concern. a rising cloud a big splash a quick-moving stream an area of cold water This article is available at 5 reading levels at 5

6 Answer Key 1 Read the following statement. The spectacle of lava flow encourages some people to act in ways that are unsafe. Which sentence from the article BEST supports the statement above? "We've never had an incident," he said. "We're always watching for what the cliff is doing. It has restricted the areas people can enter to view the flow, but Turpin said he frequently sees people on the cliff edge where they shouldn't be. Such ledges known as lava benches can collapse at any time without warning. If someone was on the edge during a collapse, they would likely lose their life, said Cindy Orlando, the superintendent of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. 2 Which idea is BEST supported by the paragraphs in the section "Steam From Hot Lava Hitting The Water Is Also A Problem"? The lava flow will soon stop flowing because a new delta will form. The lava flow is dangerous because it emits seawater into the atmosphere. The lava flow has been flowing continuously since The lava flow is unique because it has been flowing uninterrupted for a long time. This article is available at 5 reading levels at 6

7 3 Read the first paragraph of the introduction [paragraphs 1-4]. A dramatic "firehose" stream of molten lava continued to shoot out of a sea cliff Wednesday on Hawaii's Big Island. It was splashing into the Pacific Ocean below and exploding upon impact. Adding which of these sentences to the paragraph would help to explain the meaning of the word "molten" in the context of the article? The active volcano has been a tourist attraction for many years. The liquefied rock poses safety hazards for visitors. The island features many rock formations made out of lava. The combination of lava and water creates very hot steam. 4 What is the meaning of the word "plume" as used in the following sentence from the section "Steam From Hot Lava Hitting The Water Is Also A Problem"? The steam plume created by the lava reaching the water is also a concern. a rising cloud a big splash a quick-moving stream an area of cold water This article is available at 5 reading levels at 7