VISIT THE ACTIVE ERUPTION SITE

July - December 1998

July 10, 1998: Things were staying pretty quiet on the volcano, until the night Ken and John were out filming. As they watched, the lava bench below them began to crack open and collapse into the ocean. The photo on the right shows where the bench is breaking up and the liquid lava stored inside is gushing out and exploding at the water's edge. Although the rest of the bench stayed intact, it jiggled and rumbled as lava burst out in several locations with deafening jetting noises.

August 17: Lava broke out from the tubes following a pause in the eruption. Ken and Jenda managed to catch it on video. Photos below:

Aerial view of a'a lava channels that have broken out of the tubes and are flowing towards the ocean.

View from the ground of the front of a big slabby pahoehoe flow overrunning trees and grassland.

September-December: Lava is again in the tubes and pretty much staying there. The image at right of lava "spigots" pouring in to the ocean is from October. The new collapse pit is still growing on the south side of Pu'u 'O'o.