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Hawaii volcano: New land formed as lava flows meet ocean

More than 400 homes destroyed since volcanic activity started

Gianluca Avagnina
Friday 08 June 2018 20:35 BST
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New land forms as lava from Hawaii volcano meets the ocean

Video shows lava from Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano entering the ocean and forming new land.

The footage taken from a helicopter also reveals the interaction between lava and seawater creating a white plume called “laze”.

The new land looks stable, but hides a foundation of loose rubble that can collapse into the ocean, according to scientists at the United States Geological Survey.

An entire neighbourhood has been wiped off the map in Hawaii as Kilauea continues to spew lava.

More than 400 homes have been destroyed since the volcanic activity started around a month ago.

The disaster is thought to be the most costly and destructive in US history, although no deaths have been reported so far.

Volcanologists who have been monitoring Kilauea’s behaviour over the past month are now observing a new, seemingly calmer volcanic phase, but it's still very hard to predict when the activity will stop.

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