08-25-2010, 03:27 PM
yes dave, you are correct. it was 1950 that the sw rift filled and caused the most damage. i do know the 1984 flow entered the sw rift. we had gone to kona side for the day, and coming home we saw the rivers of lava on the mountain as we came around the southern end and it was quite frightening, wondering if we were going to make it home. i remember being scared, but my father was laughing and loving the show of the lava pouring down the hill. i guess i would have to research it to see if it pooled or what, but we do know it then started flowing in the NE rift, and as you say got quite close to hilo town. the excitement was that kilauea was erupting also and it had been something like 120 years that both were erupting at the same time, if my old memory serves me correctly.