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Kilauea East Rift Eruption Continues: Newest Lava Flows Restricted to Upper Elevations
April 4, 1997
USGS field crews report that the lava pond inside the Pu`u `O`o crater is at a depth of 190 feet below the rim, and is essentially unchanged since last Friday. Lava continues to well up in a collapse-pit at the base of Pu`u `O`o's west flank at 2500-ft elevation. Lava is vigorously spattering in a small pond and overflowing into a lower collapse pit before entering the old lava tube system. Two lava flows that broke-out from the tube yesterday morning were nearly stagnant by 1400 hrs. this afternoon. One flow, from 2300-ft elevation, extends southeastward approximately .75 miles and is less than .25 mile wide. The second, larger flow from 2270-ft elevation, has moved 1 mile southward along the western margin of the flowfield. No new breakouts have occurred as of 1400 hrs. today. There is no lava in the tube system beneath the 1960-ft.-elevation skylight at the crest of Pulama Pali. This indicates that the tube is blocked upslope from this point and that more breakouts may occur before lava can flow down the flank of the volcano toward the ocean.
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Updated : 19 March 1998