The Nation : Lava Adds Land to Hawaii

The island of Hawaii grew out into the ocean as an eight-mile river of 2,000-degree lava from Kilauea Volcano poured into boiling salt water, shooting up clouds of steam. It was the first time lava has reached the ocean since 1972. Tom Wright, a geologist at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, said the flow was 650 feet wide at the shoreline and had “built out” 100 feet of new land. According to legend, the volcanic activity stops when the lava hits the sea, but Wright said no end was in sight. About 6,00 persons watched the lava enter the sea, but Wright said there was no danger.