Lava Flow Triples at Kilauea Volcano

VOLCANO, Hawaii —  About three times the average volume of lava from Kilauea volcano is flowing into the ocean at five separate entry points, officials at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park said Tuesday.

The increased activity is a result of magma which began inflating Kilauea in January, said Jim Gale, a park ranger.

“With the current inflation episode stalled, lava is being pushed out the Pu’u O’o vent and into the ocean,” he said.

During the last week, as many as 3,000 visitors per day have hiked across the old lava flow to see the new lava spilling into the ocean, Gale said.

Rangers were cautioning hikers not to get too close as the newly formed land is extremely unstable and could break off and drop into the ocean.

Rangers said that a section slid into the sea Saturday. As it cooled, it caused a 100-foot circle of water to boil for several hours.