Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano has been busier than usual in the month of May.
As of this post, 27 homes have been destroyed, 1,900 residents have been evacuated and thousands more are poised to do so, Hawaii National Volcanoes Park is closed, and crews are scrambling to remove tens of thousands of gallons of highly flammable chemicals from a geothermal power plant out of the path of the lava flows.
WATCH: The mesmerizing and relentless lava from the Kilauea volcano has caused mass destruction in Hawaii, displacing thousands since May 3. pic.twitter.com/GVZKMezxc3
— NBC News (@NBCNews) May 11, 2018
The current concern is that circumstances favor an explosive eruption which would toss boulders, ash, and debris thousands of feet up and out with all the complications you’d expect on the local landscape and population.
#HVO/#USGS Volcanic Activity Notice
for #Kilauea: Steady lowering of lava lake at summit of #KilaueaVolcano has raised potential for explosive eruptions in coming weeks. https://t.co/7sDZqcOJ5s @CivilDefenseHI will issue alerts if needed: https://t.co/uYm7YGqOmq #KilaueaErupts pic.twitter.com/2tPcrlxiZS— USGS Volcanoes? (@USGSVolcanoes) May 9, 2018
But this is a volcano that has been erupting continuously since 1983. Hawaii is as prepared as anyone can be. Though the governor has asked the President for an emergency declaration.
H/T Legal Insurrection (tweets, Images, links.)