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I've been looking for an answer to this question, without luck.
Have any of the volcano experts on the island determined where the 1984 lava flow that got to within 4 miles of Hilo would have gone if the flow had not stopped? What part of the city would have been hit?
Since lava lows down hill, it seems like this would have been determined.
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There was a Hawaii Tribune Herald article on this awhile back. I don't really remember specifics. But ultimately the flow would've ended up down by Bayfront as far as I recall.
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yes, correct it was moving NNE. pretty darn scarey and beautiful at the same time. we watched the rivers flowing it seemed in all directions at once (also took out alot of HOVE but hardly any houses back then) but would have done the old part of downtown, the bayfront etc.
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Thanks. I was briefly thinking about property in Hilo, but I think I'll pass! A lava flow through downtown can completely ruin a place!
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Let's just say that all of the desserts at Cafe Pesto (had it been there at the time) would have been flaming.
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The volcanic powder keg waiting for disaster is actually Hualalai. It last erupted a couple hundred years ago (a geological hiccup), Is a much steeper slope, and has massive new development on her slopes. When (not if..) Hualalai erupts, the flow to the sea will be swift and destructive.
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Here is a link to information on the 1984 flow;
http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/maunaloa/history/1984.html
It appears to have been heading towards the Kaumana area.
BTW, the History Channel is re-airing Hawaii Apocalypse tonight, (check your local listings). If you haven't seen it, it's really an eye opener.
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According to an interesting map (Hawai'i Island Atlas and Maps, by Environmental Designs Hawai'i), the 1984 flow stopped about 4 miles uphill from the Hilo Country Club which appears to be near the Saddle Road at around mile marker 8. That translates roughly to about 3 mi. south of the 12 mile marker of Saddle Road. The map doesn't have contour lines so the flow may not have been on course for the country club, but maybe would have moved toward Hilo to the south of the golf course.
The History Channel program just finished at 4:00p and will re-air at 7:00-8:00p. This is for Dish Network, don't know if cable or DirecTV has a different schedule. The series is called "Mega Disasters", the episode is "Hawaii Apocalypse". It discusses past eruptions and future possibilities with footage from Kalapana, among other things.
Hualalai is on a 200-year eruption cycle and is overdue. Mauna Loa is on a 20-year cycle and is also overdue.
You can hike to part of the 1984 flow on the Pu'u O'o Trail that starts on the Puna-side of the Saddle Road between mile markers 23 and 24, I think. The parking area has always been hard to see, but the Saddle Road realignment work has made it even more obscure. The trail goes out about 4 miles and may not be marked on the '84 flow and beyond. When the trail crosses old flows (1899, 1855, and 1880, in sequence), the trail is marked by ahu (cairns, stacked rocks) and a slight wearing of the patina on the flows. Sometimes, it takes careful observation to not get off track. If you do hike any trails, it's always highly recommended that you not add or subtract any ahu.
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quote:
The volcanic powder keg waiting for disaster is actually Hualalai. It last erupted a couple hundred years ago (a geological hiccup), Is a much steeper slope, and has massive new development on her slopes. When (not if..) Hualalai erupts, the flow to the sea will be swift and destructive.
Link for this volcano, thanks for the info!
http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/volcanoes/hualalai/
mella l
mella l
Art and Science
bytheSEA
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I've spoken to HVO on numerous occasions about Hualalai. There is no signs of an imminent eruption from Hualalai. It is
certainly overdue .But of the two, Mauna Loa is more dangerous. It can send flows towards the South Kohala resorts, South Kona, Hawaiian Ocean View Estates along with Hilo.
South Kona in particular is in harms way. The lava flows came down from the summit in a matter of hours, not days. Thus cutting off
Highway 11 and destroying property.
http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/volcanowatch/1995/95_04_07.html
Edited by - Aaron S on 10/11/2007 17:52:56
