Volcano shoots ash 30,000ft into sky ... but locals sleep on
HAWAII’S Kilauea volcano erupted anew yesterday, shooting a steely grey plume of ash 30,000 feet into the sky that rained down on a nearby town.
The explosion came shortly after 4am following two weeks of volcanic activity that sent lava flows into residential areas and destroyed at least 26 homes.
It lasted only a few minutes, and the ash accumulations were minimal, with only trace amounts expected near the volcano, said Mike Poland, a US Geological Survey geophysicist.
Some people living closest to the volcano even slept through the explosion.
Robert Hughes, who owns the Aloha Junction Bed and Breakfast, about a mile and a half from the crater, said he did not hear anything and his area did not get any ash.
“So far, Thursday has been a nice rainy day,” he said.
The crater sits within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, which has been closed since May 11 because of the risk of a more violent eruption.
Officials have said any eruption is not likely to be dangerous as long as people stay out of the closed park.
Kilauea is one of the world’s most active volcanoes.
A massive eruption in 1924 killed one person and sent rocks, ash and dust into the air for 17 days.