Hawaiian volcanic - 2018
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Hawaiian volcanic eruptions 2018 (Kilauea Volcano)
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Hawaiian volcanic eruptions 2018 (Kilauea Volcano)
A description of the event including where it occurred.
Kilauea is an active shield volcano located on the Island of Hawaii in the United States. It
is one of the most active volcanoes in the world and has been erupting continuously since 1983.
Kilauea is part of the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and is the youngest volcano on the island,
formed around 300,000 to 600,000 years ago. Kilauea is part of the Hawaiian-Emperor
Seamount chain, which is a series of volcanoes stretching from the Big Island of Hawaii to the
Aleutian Islands of Alaska. The chain is caused by the Pacific Plate moving over a hotspot in the
earth's mantle, which causes magma to rise from the mantle and form volcanoes.
Explanation of why it occurred scientifically.
The spectacular eruptions of the Kīlauea volcano in Hawaii in 2018 were triggered by
extreme rainfall in the preceding months. several months of unusually high rainfall preceded the
eruption, with one 24-hour period setting a record for the entire US. Scientists showed that the
immense precipitation in the months leading up to the eruption had increased the pore pressures
of the volcano at up to 3 kilometers under the surface, which could have led to edifice (domed)
rock failure, which was seen in the 2018 eruption (Farquharson & Amelung, 2020, Tepp, 2021).
At Pu'u 'Ō'ō there was an inflation of the surface which indicated that there was an increase of
magma from below, which increased the pressure at this point (Neal et al., 2019). The
composition of the magma that was released indicates that the magma had been stored under the
surface at Pu'u 'Ō'ō for decades (Neal et al., 2019). This suggests that a simple accumulation of
magma was the cause of the 2018 eruption (Neal et al., 2019). This flood of water would have
percolated down into fissures and pores in the rocks of the volcano, as far as 1.8 miles (2.9km)
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below the surface. The scientists calculated this pushed up the pore pressure inside the rocks to
the highest level in almost 50 years, weakening them and allowing magma to push up from
below. The scientists also looked at eruptions of Kīlauea since 1790 and found that these
historical events were twice as likely to happen in the rainy season. Such a link has long been
thought possible.
Previous events in the same location
Kilauea has had numerous eruptions in its history, with some of the most notable being
the 1959 eruption, which caused the deaths of 24 people, and the 2018 eruption, which lasted for
almost 4 months and destroyed over 700 homes. The most recent eruption, which began in
December 2020, is ongoing and has caused mass evacuations and disruption. Kilauea's geology
consists of basaltic lava flows, cinder cones, and ash deposits. It has an estimated volume of 0.25
cubic kilometers and is approximately 4,090 feet high. The volcano is currently in a period of
deflation, with the summit crater slowly shrinking and causing a decrease in the number of
earthquakes around the volcano.
Effects on the human population
The Kilauea volcanic eruption of 2018 had large impacts on the health of Hawaiian
citizens, the land on the island, and animal life. The eruption caused a large amount of heavy
metal to be released into the atmosphere in the surrounding region. There is a large number of
metals that are released into the atmosphere during an eruption, some of the metals included are
aluminium, iron, and sulfur dioxide (Ilyinskaya et al., 2021). The metal aluminium can be very
toxic to humans as the pH of the metal decreases (Jaishankar et al., 2014). The effects of a large
amount of aluminium released can include plant poisoning, crop decline, death of aquatic
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animals, and various imbalances in animal systems (Jaishankar et al., 2014). In humans,
aluminium toxicity can have great effects on the neurons in the individuals, which can lead to
effects similar to those observed in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (Jaishankar et al., 2014).
Iron toxicity can also cause damage to a human’s DNA (Jaishankar et al., 2014). The effects of
sulfur dioxide have been associated with effects such as cough, sore throat, and breathlessness
(Halliday et al., 2018). Specifically, for the 2018 eruption, there was a large increase in the
hospitalization for pulmonary related illnesses, specifically there was a 23-36% increase in
hospitalization after the initial eruption (Halliday et al., 2018). The data is shown that younger
populations were disproportionately affected by the air pollution caused by the eruption
(Halliday et al., 2018). In addition to the health issues that the eruption has caused, there was a
large area of land and homes that were decimated by the volcano, there was also a large amount
of land added to the island of Hawai’i.
Warnings prior to the event
The warnings before the 2018 volcanic eruptions in Hawaii, specifically the Kilauea
Volcano, constituted a crucial design geared towards preparing and alerting the local
communities, minimizing the impact, and ensuring residents' safety. The increase in seismic
activity in the months leading up to the eruption, such as the number and intensity of earthquakes
in the region, escalated, suggesting movement and pressure within the volcano. The U.S.
Geological Survey (USGS) monitored this seismic unrest by analyzing the data and issued
warnings to foster the safety of local communities (Williams et al., 2020). The issues of ground
deformation observed n the area indicated magma movement beneath the surface. Satellite
imagery and GPS measurements revealed the stretching and deformation of the ground, thus,
suggesting the possibility of an impending volcanic event (Williams et al., 2020). On the other
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hand, gas emissions and volcanic activity changes also served as warning signs of the impending
eruption. The Kilauea Volcano experienced an increase in the emission of sulfur dioxide (SO2)
gas, suggesting the release of magma from the volcano's summit and rift zones. Rising levels of
SO2 gas were harmful to human health and indicated magma's presence at shallow depths. The
he eruption activity began with fissures opening in residential areas, releasing lava flows and
generating hazardous volcanic gases. The sudden ground cracks and eruptions prompted
immediate evacuation orders, preventing potential casualties.
Relief efforts by the government and charities
The government and various charities played crucial roles in providing relief efforts
during and after the eruption. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) declared a
major disaster for the affected areas, enabling federal assistance to support response and recovery
efforts (Rosa, 2018). The government provided financial aid, logistical support, and coordinated
with local authorities to ensure the safety and well-being of residents. The State of Hawaii and
local authorities activated emergency management systems to respond to the eruption. They
worked on evacuations, establishing shelters, and implementing safety measures. The
government also provided resources for monitoring volcanic activity and disseminating
information to the public. Government agencies focused on repairing damaged infrastructure,
such as roads and utilities, to facilitate the recovery process by clearing volcanic ash, debris, and
addressing damage caused by lava flows. On the other hand, The American Red Cross provided
immediate assistance to affected residents by setting up shelters, providing food, water, and
supplies, and offering emotional support to those displaced by the eruptions (State of Hawaii
(Hawaii Emergency Management Agency), 2018). Organizations, including local nonprofits and
community foundations, established the Volcano Relief Fund to collect donations for affected
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individuals and families to foster housing assistance, replacing essential belongings, and aiding
in the recovery of affected communities. The government and nonprofits focused on long-term
recovery and rebuilding efforts by implementing programs to enhance community resilience,
providing assistance to affected businesses, supporting mental health services, and facilitating
infrastructure reconstruction.
Response by population (was the area rebuilt; did the population migrate)
The volcanic eruptions led to a wide range of damages on local communities,
infrastructure and community facilities. The most affected areas, such as parts of the Puna
district on the Big Island, underwent stages of rebuilding and recovery. The extent of rebuilding
depended on the severity of the damage caused by the eruptions, including lava flows, ashfall,
and volcanic gas emissions. Reconstruction efforts undertaken by government agencies focused
on restoring infrastructure, homes, and public services in the affected communities. However,
some areas experienced delays, and faced challenges in the reconstruction process triggered by
the scale of the destruction and logistical considerations (Williams et al., 2020). The volcanic
eruptions prompted population displacement and migration from the affected areas. The
eruptions led residents to evacuate homes because of the immediate threats posed by lava flows
and volcanic hazards, such as toxic gases and volcanic ash. The evacuation orders primary aim
revolved around ensuring the safety of the residents amidst the volcanic risks as well as assessing
future risks posed by the volcanic mountain in the region.
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References
State of Hawaii (Hawaii Emergency Management Agency). (2018).
Red Cross shelter open for residents
affected by Kilauea Lava Threat
. Dod.hawaii.gov. https://dod.hawaii.gov/hiema/red-cross-
shelter-open-for-residents-affected-by-kilauea-lava-threat/
Rosa, J. (2018, June 15). Trump approves disaster aid for Hawaii’s volcano-stricken Big Island.
Reuters
.
https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-hawaii-volcano-relief-idUKKBN1JB0ZD
Williams, D. M., Avery, V. F., Coombs, M. L., Cox, D. A., Horwitz, L. R., McBride, S. K., McClymont,
R. J., & Moran, S. C. (2020). U.S. Geological Survey 2018 Kīlauea Volcano eruption response in
Hawai’i—After-action review.
Open-File Report
. https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20201041