I keep reading these "Big Island Volcano Massive Eruption Imminent" headlines. I talked to a friend over there a few days ago and didn't get the impression that everyone was very worried.

Do we have any members over there now? I know we have had a couple in the past, but I think they have moved back to the mainland.

Any amateur volcano experts?

I have family on the Big Island. I don't think anyone is realistically worried about island-wide destruction. Below Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park there is obvious danger, but for other parts of the island like Hilo and Kona, no-one is really concerned, despite the upgraded "red" warning.

Worst case scenario is probably destruction of rim facilities like the observatory and museum should the volcano "blow its top", and continued destruction of real estate in the lower rift zone should fissures continue to open up.

I remember reading Jules Vern's Mysterious Island. The island was a volcano, and when it went the lava hit the sea water below/inside the island and *BOOM*, no more island!

Good to know that's not gonna happen!

The real danger is if too many people panic and run to one side of the island.

Not a geologist, but lived in Hawaii for a number of years and have heard the spiels of the National Park folks there. As I understand it, the Hawaiian island volcanoes formed as the earth's crust moved over a "hot spot" which allows magma from beneath the crust to seep up. I was told these volcanoes are not like those in the "ring of fire" around the Pacific rim, which are much more likely to blow big-time a la St. Helens.

quote:

Originally posted by RichardC:
The real danger is if too many people panic and run to one side of the island.

Yeah, then it'll tip over, and everyone will drown. So, folks really need to take each a chill pill.

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:

quote:

Originally posted by RichardC:
The real danger is if too many people panic and run to one side of the island.

Yeah, then it'll tip over, and everyone will drown. So, folks really need to take each a chill pill.

You, sir, are qualified for Congress!

Don’t be silly. The big island is much larger than Guam. If all the people go to one side we should be concerned with the rocking motion that will be caused with the people on one side and the volcano on the other. At best it will see-saw.

Tip over


Sheesh

What are you, in Congress?

The key worry then is the rocking producing a tidal wave. Good news is it will hit the coast of California

quote:

Originally posted by RichardC:
The real danger is if too many people panic and run to one side of the island.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Remember this idiot (Hank Johnson) who said Guam would tip over?
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/h...fter-marine-buildup/
And these ingrates are running the country!

Hey, thanks for explaining the joke that everyone already understood, Vinnie.

What if.....Krakatoa?

I'm far more worried about the Yellowstone caldera going boom. That would affect everyone on the planet.

Jim

quote:

Originally posted by Jimbo54:
I'm far more worried about the Yellowstone caldera going boom. That would affect everyone on the planet.

Jim

That reminds me...I need to pick up some more gas for the generator.

Hey, you never know....

Maybe they could sacrifice a virgin, like Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks in Joe vs. The Volcano.

Based on what the USGS has been saying, I would not be surprised if there were some sort of explosive eruption. But even if there is, we're not talking something that would be on the scale of what we think of as a big eruption (think Pinatubo or even the smaller St. Helens.) It would effect at most a several mile radius around the summit.

In point of fact Kilauea is, IIRC, the single most active volcano on the planet. I would expect it to make a big burp every once in a while. I'm amazed the State of Hawaii allow construction as close to it as they do. That whole corner of the big island should be off limit to permanent construction, because what is happening now was bound to happen. This is not the first time that volcano has run over houses.

Don’t be mislead by “Big Island” or that it is Hawaii County. It is the biggest in size but Oahu/Honolulu has far more people. There are communities on the east side of the Big Island but not the same extremely urban area. A lot more rural.

Yeah, Oahu is roughly 1/8 the size of The Big Island and 8 times the population

I think the population of the big island and Maui/Molokai are almost the same


Think almost a million people on Oahu, but less than 200,000 on Hawaii. But...it’s been a long time since I lived there, and I haven’t seen any recent census or anything

quote:

Originally posted by darthfuster:
What if.....Krakatoa?

Given our current knowledge of volcanism, an event like that on Hawaii is unlikely. Krakatoa was constantly growing and everyone could see it, besides the cone that continued to grow, the surrounding areas were rising and cracking. All indicating there was a large magma chamber underneath with little steam/gas releases; pressure built up and boom. Other than the explosion itself, there was plenty of signs that 'something big' was happening, the problem is that location doesn't vent itself too well.

Hawaii moves over a hot-spot >Southest towards Northwest<, whereas the Circle of Fire volcanos are generated by plate subduction. There's plenty of vents for pressure and lava to escape so a super violent explosion is unlikely, what isn't known is how big the magma chamber is underneath and where it is exactly. Clearly it's on the southeastern side, where the fissures have formed which is in-line with plate tectonic movement. All of which makes the location of the Puna housing development and the geothermal plant all the more baffling. With all the fissures, that magma chamber may just ooze lava and fart gas for several weeks or months...

It's The Big One....

>> https://youtu.be/stdi-1tIUhM