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NARRATOR:
Explosions.
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Earthquakes.
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You guys all right?
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00:00:08,142 --> 00:00:09,174
MAN:
Would you get away from there?!
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00:00:09,176 --> 00:00:10,843
NARRATOR:
Lava in the streets.
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MAN:
This is insane.
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NARRATOR:
In 2018, Hawai'i experiences
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its most destructive
volcanic eruption
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in over a quarter-century.
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MAN:
Whoa!
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NARRATOR:
Residents flee for their lives.
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WOMAN:
We're packed,
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and we're evacuating.
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NARRATOR:
As the Earth erupts
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beneath their homes.
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(women screaming)
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WOMAN:
There was a house there.
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00:00:39,407 --> 00:00:41,473
Yeah, it's gone,
it's under the lava.
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NARRATOR:
And nature turns
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a Hawaiian paradise
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into a vision of Hell.
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But through it all,
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scientists are
on the front line.
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(bursting)
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Tracking subterranean
magma flows.
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BRIAN SHIRO:
Think of it like a sword
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cutting its way
through the rock.
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NARRATOR:
Risking exposure to toxic gases.
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You can actually see
all the sulfur
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that is
actually crystallizing.
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NARRATOR:
And uncovering secrets held
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inside the molten rock.
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The chemistry
was extremely evolved.
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NARRATOR:
All to answer
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the question
on everyone's mind:
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How bad will it get?
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RYAN PERROY:
Very quickly, it became
of a scale and magnitude
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greater than what
we were able to handle.
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NARRATOR:
"Kilauea: Hawai'i on Fire."
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Right now, on "NOVA."
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♪ ♪
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NARRATOR:
In 2018, the island of Hawai'i
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becomes a living hell.
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Locals rush for their lives
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as red-hot lava bursts
from under their houses.
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MAN:
This is-- I don't know, man!
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NARRATOR:
Fountaining hundreds of feet
into the air.
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(woman calling out)
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MAN:
We need medical assistance here!
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NARRATOR:
It's an eruption on a scale
not seen for a generation.
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00:02:06,026 --> 00:02:09,428
450 earthquakes in
just the last 24 hours.
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NARRATOR:
Upending the lives
of thousands
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and transforming
the landscape of Hawai'i.
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But while residents evacuate,
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scientists head
into the field,
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tracking the action
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to discover what may be next.
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How accurate
are their predictions?
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We knew it was not if,
but when.
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NARRATOR:
Is this the start
of a new period
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of dangerous
volcanic activity?
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STACY WELCH:
This is unstoppable.
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This is epic.
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NARRATOR:
And what does it tell us
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about the true nature of
the iconic islands of Hawai'i?
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(rumbling)
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2,400 miles to the southwest
of the U.S. mainland
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lies the Hawaiian archipelago,
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a chain of tropical islands
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covered in lush rainforest
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and home to vibrant wildlife.
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It's America's paradise
in the Pacific,
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and a mecca for tourists.
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But the 50th state is more
than just sun, sand, and surf.
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(water splashing)
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On the southern part
of the southernmost island
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lies Kilauea,
an active volcano
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within the Hawai'i
Volcanoes National Park.
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Lava is visible
in a small lake at the summit
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and at Pu'u 'O'o,
a seeping vent
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on the flank of the mountain.
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Both sites are popular
with tourists
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and constantly monitored
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by a team
of on-site volcanologists.
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But in April 2018,
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the scientists of
the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory
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become concerned
about rising levels of lava.
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We had a situation where
the lava lake at the summit
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was high, higher than
it had been for quite a while,
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00:04:10,417 --> 00:04:13,819
and in fact, it was periodically
beginning to overflow.
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00:04:13,821 --> 00:04:17,155
At the same time, the lava level
within the Pu'u 'O'o vent
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was also very high.
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00:04:19,326 --> 00:04:20,425
One of the things
we've learned
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is that the magmatic system,
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the plumbing system
is connected.
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NARRATOR:
Magma is underground lava.
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Both lava lakes are fed
from the same deep magma chamber
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lying miles below the summit.
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They act like pressure gauges.
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The recent high levels
of the lakes
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are an indication
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that magma is building up
under the volcano.
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NEAL:
The magmatic pressure
within the volcano was high.
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This meant there could be
a change coming,
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although we weren't quite sure
the nature of that change.
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NARRATOR:
On April 30, that change
arrives with shocking speed.
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00:05:00,401 --> 00:05:01,933
In a matter of hours,
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00:05:01,935 --> 00:05:05,270
all the lava in the
Pu'u 'O'o vent disappears,
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00:05:05,272 --> 00:05:09,207
leaving a gaping hole.
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It catches the volcanologists
off-guard.
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NEAL:
We were a little surprised.
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Past events at Pu'u 'O'o
have seen collapses,
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short-term collapses,
but none as deep as this one.
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NARRATOR:
Almost 60 million tons
of red-hot lava
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have just gone missing.
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The scientists have to find it,
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and they fear the worst
when the ground begins to shake.
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(rumbling)
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The seismograms
were off the charts,
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and, you know, I knew
something big was happening.
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NARRATOR:
Brian Shiro is a seismologist
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with the
Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.
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He monitors a network of
around 80 earthquake detectors
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00:05:49,383 --> 00:05:51,316
positioned around the volcano.
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When Pu'u 'O'o's lava
disappears,
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the network lights up.
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Around the vent,
the land is being shaken
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00:06:01,395 --> 00:06:05,197
by a swarm of tiny tremors.
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00:06:05,199 --> 00:06:09,167
A swarm of earthquakes
is a grouping of earthquakes
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00:06:09,169 --> 00:06:10,969
close together
in space and time.
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Given the context of Pu'u 'O'o,
there really was no question
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00:06:14,074 --> 00:06:16,875
what this was related to.
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NARRATOR:
Below the surface,
pressure from the magma
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has suddenly fractured
the surrounding rock,
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00:06:23,350 --> 00:06:26,651
opening cracks
that fill with magma,
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generating earthquakes
and triggering more fractures.
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A blade-like intrusion of magma
is tunneling east.
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SHIRO:
Think of it like a sword
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00:06:40,834 --> 00:06:42,234
that's traveling
beneath the ground
140
00:06:42,236 --> 00:06:44,503
and cutting its way
through the rock as it goes.
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00:06:44,505 --> 00:06:48,607
(rock grinding)
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It was moving underground
at a rate
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probably about as fast
as you could walk.
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♪ ♪
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NARRATOR:
The earthquakes indicate
the Pu'u 'O'o magma
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00:07:02,823 --> 00:07:05,957
is advancing
down Kilauea's east rift,
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00:07:05,959 --> 00:07:08,026
heading out
of the national park,
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00:07:08,028 --> 00:07:11,430
down towards the ocean
20 miles away.
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Directly in its path
lie the homes
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00:07:13,400 --> 00:07:15,834
of thousands of people.
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NEAL:
It was possible
that magma would move
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00:07:19,840 --> 00:07:22,441
through the rift zone system
and not erupt,
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00:07:22,443 --> 00:07:24,676
but there was also
a strong likelihood
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00:07:24,678 --> 00:07:26,411
that it would eventually
find its way to the surface.
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00:07:27,714 --> 00:07:32,050
We decided we must inform
the Civil Defense authorities.
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00:07:32,052 --> 00:07:34,219
We may not have
a lot of time for warning.
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(crashing)
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NARRATOR:
For 48 hours, the earthquakes
have moved east.
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00:07:45,132 --> 00:07:47,365
But suddenly they stop.
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The magma is changing direction.
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If the magma stops
moving sideways,
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yet there's still
pressure pushing it,
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00:07:55,409 --> 00:07:56,608
it's going to have to go
somewhere.
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NARRATOR:
The magma is creeping upwards.
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Above lies Leilani Estates,
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00:08:01,448 --> 00:08:06,718
a sleepy neighborhood
about to have a rude awakening.
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The local Civil Defense agency
puts everyone on alert.
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MAN (on radio):
This is a Civil Defense message.
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An eruption is possible.
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00:08:18,999 --> 00:08:20,665
BILL HANSON:
We were getting reports
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00:08:20,667 --> 00:08:23,134
that there was a lot
of earthquake activity.
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MAN (on radio):
Prepare in case
of the need for evacuation.
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We were hoping for the best,
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00:08:28,208 --> 00:08:29,941
but we were planning
for the worst.
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NARRATOR:
As the ground continues
to shake,
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residents soon see their
neighborhood is in trouble.
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WOMAN:
Here is the crack,
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just right after
the community center
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and the playground.
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00:08:43,156 --> 00:08:44,289
I don't know
if you can see that.
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There's my hand.
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NARRATOR:
The cracks grow
in size and number.
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WOMAN:
This is new,
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coming out of there.
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00:08:54,234 --> 00:08:59,604
NARRATOR:
And steam begins to billow
from the depths.
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At that point,
we were fairly certain.
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00:09:02,042 --> 00:09:04,175
We knew that it
was not if, but when.
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00:09:04,177 --> 00:09:07,178
NARRATOR:
At 5 p.m. on May 3,
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the ground opens
and the nightmare begins.
190
00:09:10,617 --> 00:09:11,716
(barking)
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00:09:13,220 --> 00:09:15,954
(bang echoes)
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00:09:20,427 --> 00:09:21,693
WOMAN:
Oh, my God.
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00:09:21,695 --> 00:09:24,963
We're packed
and we're evacuating.
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00:09:24,965 --> 00:09:29,301
NARRATOR:
The eruption quickly becomes
international news.
195
00:09:29,303 --> 00:09:33,939
A part of Hawai'i is
under a mandatory evacuation.
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00:09:33,941 --> 00:09:35,707
This right here
is a residential area
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00:09:35,709 --> 00:09:38,376
about 30 kilometers
from Mt. Kilauea,
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00:09:38,378 --> 00:09:42,781
and lava is being thrown up
in the middle of the road.
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00:09:42,783 --> 00:09:44,049
Authorities have ordered
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00:09:44,051 --> 00:09:47,586
more than 1,700 people
to leave immediately.
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00:09:47,588 --> 00:09:49,487
I heard this roar.
202
00:09:49,489 --> 00:09:53,191
Almost like a fire-breathing
dragon sort of a noise.
203
00:09:53,193 --> 00:09:55,460
It's the birth of a fissure.
204
00:09:55,462 --> 00:09:57,028
(banging)
205
00:09:57,030 --> 00:10:02,467
NARRATOR:
One by one, fissures
are opening up.
206
00:10:02,469 --> 00:10:05,637
Over the next few days,
207
00:10:05,639 --> 00:10:08,106
the neighborhood
is ripped apart.
208
00:10:08,108 --> 00:10:09,808
(banging)
209
00:10:09,810 --> 00:10:15,547
MAN:
This is freakin'--
I don't know, man.
210
00:10:15,549 --> 00:10:18,083
(weeping):
I've been crying all morning.
211
00:10:18,085 --> 00:10:22,220
(lava churns)
212
00:10:23,991 --> 00:10:28,426
NARRATOR:
Lava is now pouring
over the land...
213
00:10:28,428 --> 00:10:30,128
(hissing)
214
00:10:30,130 --> 00:10:33,832
...generating multiple flows
that advance across roads...
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00:10:35,402 --> 00:10:37,135
MAN:
Would you get away from there?!
216
00:10:38,605 --> 00:10:40,772
NARRATOR:
...and into homes.
217
00:10:40,774 --> 00:10:43,074
(gate rattling)
218
00:10:43,076 --> 00:10:47,045
They are slow-moving,
but relentless.
219
00:10:47,047 --> 00:10:50,181
What a flow doesn't bury,
220
00:10:50,183 --> 00:10:52,150
it sets on fire.
221
00:10:52,152 --> 00:10:54,986
(fire crackling)
222
00:10:54,988 --> 00:10:57,188
Even as it blackens
and solidifies,
223
00:10:57,190 --> 00:10:59,491
it's over
1,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
224
00:10:59,493 --> 00:11:01,960
MAN:
Burning its way
through the pavement.
225
00:11:01,962 --> 00:11:06,698
(fire crackling)
226
00:11:08,535 --> 00:11:09,701
NARRATOR:
Across the neighborhood,
227
00:11:09,703 --> 00:11:11,970
residents are evacuating.
228
00:11:11,972 --> 00:11:14,272
REPORTER:
When you finally do
get back home,
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00:11:14,274 --> 00:11:16,241
what will you find?
230
00:11:16,243 --> 00:11:18,576
(chuckling): Ashes.
It's ashes.
231
00:11:18,578 --> 00:11:23,948
♪ ♪
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00:11:26,186 --> 00:11:29,087
NARRATOR:
It's now over a week
since the fissures opened,
233
00:11:29,089 --> 00:11:30,922
and the eruption continues.
234
00:11:33,794 --> 00:11:35,994
To gauge the extent
of the lava flow,
235
00:11:35,996 --> 00:11:39,197
volcanologist Sam Mitchell
from the University of Hawai'i
236
00:11:39,199 --> 00:11:41,232
is going in for a closer look.
237
00:11:43,770 --> 00:11:45,970
It's really quite something,
to be able to watch it,
238
00:11:45,972 --> 00:11:47,505
and especially
to see it from up above.
239
00:11:47,507 --> 00:11:51,309
♪ ♪
240
00:11:51,311 --> 00:11:55,246
NARRATOR:
15 fissures have now erupted,
241
00:11:55,248 --> 00:12:01,152
spewing out enough lava
to cover 88 football fields.
242
00:12:01,154 --> 00:12:04,022
It's clear
that all the fissures originate
243
00:12:04,024 --> 00:12:06,891
from the same thin,
deep crack in the Earth.
244
00:12:10,397 --> 00:12:11,930
At the moment,
all the fissures
245
00:12:11,932 --> 00:12:13,798
are erupting
along one single line,
246
00:12:13,800 --> 00:12:17,802
but the lava flows can then
spread laterally either side,
247
00:12:17,804 --> 00:12:19,838
and that's the biggest danger.
248
00:12:19,840 --> 00:12:22,040
It's difficult to know
which fissures
249
00:12:22,042 --> 00:12:23,908
will produce large flows
250
00:12:23,910 --> 00:12:27,612
and how far those flows
will actually go.
251
00:12:27,614 --> 00:12:29,948
This really
is an evolving story.
252
00:12:29,950 --> 00:12:33,952
(rumbling and crackling)
253
00:12:33,954 --> 00:12:38,089
NARRATOR:
But now the flows
appear to be slowing.
254
00:12:38,091 --> 00:12:40,792
After a week of activity,
255
00:12:40,794 --> 00:12:43,728
many of the original fissures
around Leilani Estates
256
00:12:43,730 --> 00:12:46,131
are sputtering to a halt.
257
00:12:46,133 --> 00:12:49,667
Bill Hanson's Civil Defense team
notices the change.
258
00:12:49,669 --> 00:12:52,537
There was spattering, yes,
there was noise, yes,
259
00:12:52,539 --> 00:12:57,242
but there wasn't any flow;
the lava was very static.
260
00:12:57,244 --> 00:12:58,977
NARRATOR:
After a week of chaos,
261
00:12:58,979 --> 00:13:01,312
could the eruption
be winding down?
262
00:13:01,314 --> 00:13:05,450
The only way to find out
is a risky scramble
263
00:13:05,452 --> 00:13:07,285
to sample the lava.
264
00:13:10,657 --> 00:13:13,324
(splashing)
265
00:13:13,326 --> 00:13:15,894
Getting up-close and personal
to a lava flow
266
00:13:15,896 --> 00:13:18,163
is not for the faint-hearted.
267
00:13:18,165 --> 00:13:19,631
But for researchers
268
00:13:19,633 --> 00:13:24,135
like University of Hawai'i
volcanologist Cheryl Gansecki,
269
00:13:24,137 --> 00:13:26,938
what lava can reveal
about the status of the eruption
270
00:13:26,940 --> 00:13:29,307
is worth the risk.
271
00:13:29,309 --> 00:13:32,877
We would put out tubs
to try to catch some lava
272
00:13:32,879 --> 00:13:33,945
falling out of the sky.
273
00:13:33,947 --> 00:13:36,481
You really go
as fast as you can
274
00:13:36,483 --> 00:13:37,816
and hope you've grabbed
enough material,
275
00:13:37,818 --> 00:13:39,884
so you don't
have to do it again.
276
00:13:42,055 --> 00:13:43,221
NARRATOR:
Back at the lab,
277
00:13:43,223 --> 00:13:45,223
the investigation can begin.
278
00:13:45,225 --> 00:13:48,359
The University of Hawai'i
has built a database
279
00:13:48,361 --> 00:13:50,728
of lavas collected
from previous eruptions
280
00:13:50,730 --> 00:13:54,299
and created a high-speed method
of identification.
281
00:13:56,803 --> 00:13:58,102
(rattling)
282
00:13:58,104 --> 00:13:59,537
Crushing samples
from the new flows
283
00:13:59,539 --> 00:14:01,606
into a fine powder
284
00:14:01,608 --> 00:14:04,976
allows an analysis
of their ingredients.
285
00:14:06,012 --> 00:14:09,280
All lava has a fingerprint.
286
00:14:09,282 --> 00:14:11,816
Subtle differences
in chemical composition
287
00:14:11,818 --> 00:14:16,654
allow volcanologists
to determine its origins.
288
00:14:19,626 --> 00:14:22,293
The results are a surprise.
289
00:14:22,295 --> 00:14:26,965
The lava erupting at Leilani
is not the same as the lava
290
00:14:26,967 --> 00:14:31,536
that disappeared from Pu'u 'O'o
and headed down the mountain.
291
00:14:31,538 --> 00:14:36,374
But it is just like lava
that they've seen before.
292
00:14:36,376 --> 00:14:39,110
GANSECKI:
It was very similar in character
293
00:14:39,112 --> 00:14:41,446
to another eruption
294
00:14:41,448 --> 00:14:44,315
that had happened
in that same area in 1955.
295
00:14:46,186 --> 00:14:47,919
MAN (on film):
Two fissures,
296
00:14:47,921 --> 00:14:51,155
each about 300 feet long,
emitting lava,
297
00:14:51,157 --> 00:14:54,893
extended from the Pohoiki Road
into field 114.
298
00:14:54,895 --> 00:15:00,698
NARRATOR:
In 1955, a massive eruption
shook this part of the mountain.
299
00:15:00,700 --> 00:15:02,066
It lasted three months,
300
00:15:02,068 --> 00:15:05,236
with lava gushing
from 24 separate vents.
301
00:15:08,642 --> 00:15:09,908
But evidently,
302
00:15:09,910 --> 00:15:13,478
not all the magma
reached the surface
303
00:15:13,480 --> 00:15:17,015
before the eruptive pressure
dropped.
304
00:15:17,017 --> 00:15:19,517
Cheryl's discovery suggests
305
00:15:19,519 --> 00:15:22,086
that the traveling
Pu'u 'O'o lava
306
00:15:22,088 --> 00:15:25,924
encountered the remnants
of the 1955 eruption,
307
00:15:25,926 --> 00:15:28,993
lying dormant
for more than 60 years,
308
00:15:28,995 --> 00:15:31,029
the pressure
from the fresh lava
309
00:15:31,031 --> 00:15:33,264
forcing it to the surface.
310
00:15:33,266 --> 00:15:36,134
Because this old magma
is relatively cool,
311
00:15:36,136 --> 00:15:40,605
on contact with air,
it solidifies quickly.
312
00:15:40,607 --> 00:15:43,574
But the fresh, hot lava
from Pu'u 'O'o
313
00:15:43,576 --> 00:15:46,678
will be far more dynamic
if it reaches the surface.
314
00:15:46,680 --> 00:15:51,816
This eruption isn't over--
it's only just begun.
315
00:15:51,818 --> 00:15:52,984
What everybody was worried about
316
00:15:52,986 --> 00:15:56,354
was when that Pu'u 'O'o lava
made it,
317
00:15:56,356 --> 00:15:58,022
then the eruption scale
would change.
318
00:16:01,962 --> 00:16:03,394
NARRATOR:
As the Leilani neighborhood
319
00:16:03,396 --> 00:16:05,730
waits to see
what will come next,
320
00:16:05,732 --> 00:16:08,433
alarms are sounding
at the top of the mountain,
321
00:16:08,435 --> 00:16:11,502
where the summit is rumbling.
322
00:16:11,504 --> 00:16:14,906
Since May 2,
the lava here has retreated,
323
00:16:14,908 --> 00:16:18,643
following the Pu'u 'O'o lava
into the depths.
324
00:16:18,645 --> 00:16:23,247
It's dropped 500 feet,
and is still sinking fast.
325
00:16:23,249 --> 00:16:24,649
Without the lava
to support them,
326
00:16:24,651 --> 00:16:27,952
the sides are slowly collapsing,
327
00:16:27,954 --> 00:16:31,522
falling on top
of the descending lava
328
00:16:31,524 --> 00:16:35,460
and generating ominous clouds
of ash and dust.
329
00:16:36,629 --> 00:16:40,398
Just four miles away
lies the small town of Volcano.
330
00:16:40,400 --> 00:16:44,502
Residents Tom Peek
and his wife, Catherine Robins,
331
00:16:44,504 --> 00:16:46,871
are preparing
for what might be coming.
332
00:16:46,873 --> 00:16:48,006
(tarp rustling)
333
00:16:48,008 --> 00:16:50,508
As soon as the ash
starts to fall,
334
00:16:50,510 --> 00:16:52,176
we're tearing this down.
That's a good idea.
335
00:16:53,546 --> 00:16:56,080
NARRATOR:
They fear not flowing lava,
336
00:16:56,082 --> 00:16:58,750
but a deadly assault
from the skies.
337
00:16:58,752 --> 00:17:03,054
As a former
National Park ranger,
338
00:17:03,056 --> 00:17:06,591
Tom is a keen student
of Kilauea's explosive history.
339
00:17:06,593 --> 00:17:09,193
From all that we understand,
340
00:17:09,195 --> 00:17:11,696
everything is panning out
very similar.
341
00:17:11,698 --> 00:17:15,333
There's some differences
in timeframe,
342
00:17:15,335 --> 00:17:18,469
but there's a very parallel
kind of story developing
343
00:17:18,471 --> 00:17:22,073
as if this will be
a 1924 eruption.
344
00:17:23,309 --> 00:17:27,145
NARRATOR:
In 1924, the summit of Kilauea
exploded,
345
00:17:27,147 --> 00:17:31,516
propelling searing ash
miles into the heavens
346
00:17:31,518 --> 00:17:34,852
and showering
eight-ton rocks
347
00:17:34,854 --> 00:17:37,321
up to half a mile
from the summit.
348
00:17:37,323 --> 00:17:39,323
The explosion
was probably triggered
349
00:17:39,325 --> 00:17:41,259
by a build-up of gas.
350
00:17:43,396 --> 00:17:45,196
When the magma level drops,
351
00:17:45,198 --> 00:17:48,132
falling rubble will eventually
block the narrow feed pipe
352
00:17:48,134 --> 00:17:50,401
like a cork in a bottle.
353
00:17:50,403 --> 00:17:52,904
If the magma drops
below the water table,
354
00:17:52,906 --> 00:17:55,039
steam will form in the gap.
355
00:17:55,041 --> 00:17:56,774
The build-up
of pressurized gas
356
00:17:56,776 --> 00:17:59,610
can cause violent explosions,
357
00:17:59,612 --> 00:18:04,315
firing red-hot rock and ash
thousands of feet into the sky.
358
00:18:08,354 --> 00:18:10,354
NEAL:
Our geophysicists
were able to model
359
00:18:10,356 --> 00:18:14,158
at that current rate of
draining of the lava lake,
360
00:18:14,160 --> 00:18:17,061
when the level would pass
what we believed to be
361
00:18:17,063 --> 00:18:19,764
the level of the water table
within the volcano.
362
00:18:19,766 --> 00:18:21,332
So we had projected
the middle of May
363
00:18:21,334 --> 00:18:24,569
as the likely window
for onset of explosions.
364
00:18:26,139 --> 00:18:27,638
NARRATOR:
While residents near the summit
365
00:18:27,640 --> 00:18:30,241
anxiously wait for Kilauea
to blow her top,
366
00:18:30,243 --> 00:18:31,442
back down the mountain,
367
00:18:31,444 --> 00:18:35,346
the Leilani neighborhood
faces a new threat.
368
00:18:35,348 --> 00:18:37,915
The media broadcast
a dire warning.
369
00:18:37,917 --> 00:18:39,550
REPORTER:
Gas so toxic
370
00:18:39,552 --> 00:18:42,153
it's killing trees and grass.
371
00:18:42,155 --> 00:18:44,288
The fire crews
that are out there
372
00:18:44,290 --> 00:18:46,057
have reported
those toxic levels;
373
00:18:46,059 --> 00:18:47,425
it can be fatal.
374
00:18:48,661 --> 00:18:51,295
NARRATOR:
Despite the lull
in eruptive activity,
375
00:18:51,297 --> 00:18:55,600
the gas is now being detected
all around the neighborhood.
376
00:18:55,602 --> 00:18:57,668
Forced to wear protective
breathing equipment,
377
00:18:57,670 --> 00:18:58,836
volcanologist Sam Mitchell
378
00:18:58,838 --> 00:19:01,205
has gone in to investigate.
379
00:19:03,476 --> 00:19:05,076
MITCHELL:
Only a few days ago,
380
00:19:05,078 --> 00:19:06,878
this was actively
erupting lava.
381
00:19:07,881 --> 00:19:09,113
You can really feel the heat
coming off
382
00:19:09,115 --> 00:19:11,115
of some of these fissures
right here.
383
00:19:11,117 --> 00:19:12,683
It's really something.
384
00:19:12,685 --> 00:19:16,521
NARRATOR:
The air is filled with steam,
385
00:19:16,523 --> 00:19:20,391
and invisible toxic gas
rises from the cracks.
386
00:19:20,393 --> 00:19:21,626
The giveaway:
387
00:19:21,628 --> 00:19:25,029
yellow mineral deposits
around the fissures--
388
00:19:25,031 --> 00:19:27,131
sulfur.
389
00:19:27,133 --> 00:19:28,232
As we walk along,
390
00:19:28,234 --> 00:19:30,334
you can actually see
all the sulfur
391
00:19:30,336 --> 00:19:32,537
that is actually crystallizing
out of these gases
392
00:19:32,539 --> 00:19:33,871
in the cracks.
393
00:19:33,873 --> 00:19:37,308
See how intense the color
of these crystals are.
394
00:19:37,310 --> 00:19:39,510
Like, it's precipitating out
pure sulfur here.
395
00:19:40,613 --> 00:19:42,380
NARRATOR:
The particles of sulfur
396
00:19:42,382 --> 00:19:46,884
indicate that the air
is filled with sulfur dioxide,
397
00:19:46,886 --> 00:19:51,389
bubbling out from the magma
deep below.
398
00:19:51,391 --> 00:19:54,425
In the presence
of moisture and sunlight,
399
00:19:54,427 --> 00:19:58,162
the sulfur dioxide forms vog,
a volcanic smog
400
00:19:58,164 --> 00:20:02,300
containing tiny droplets
of sulfuric acid.
401
00:20:02,302 --> 00:20:05,503
It makes eyes burn,
lungs inflame,
402
00:20:05,505 --> 00:20:08,072
and can even corrode metal.
403
00:20:08,074 --> 00:20:11,576
At high levels,
it can be deadly.
404
00:20:11,578 --> 00:20:13,744
Wow! This is really...
405
00:20:13,746 --> 00:20:16,781
Really, really outgassing
at the moment.
406
00:20:21,888 --> 00:20:24,088
NARRATOR:
High levels of sulfur dioxide
407
00:20:24,090 --> 00:20:27,291
continue to pump into the air
each day,
408
00:20:27,293 --> 00:20:33,164
a sign that magma is building up
just below the surface.
409
00:20:39,539 --> 00:20:41,739
In another part
of the neighborhood,
410
00:20:41,741 --> 00:20:44,542
the gas
has temporarily dissipated.
411
00:20:44,544 --> 00:20:48,846
Stacy Welch left her house
in a hurry two days ago.
412
00:20:50,617 --> 00:20:52,316
The authorities have given her
a few hours
413
00:20:52,318 --> 00:20:55,219
to enter the danger area
and check on her property.
414
00:20:56,289 --> 00:20:59,490
The vegetation shows the signs
415
00:20:59,492 --> 00:21:01,659
of sulfur poisoning.
416
00:21:01,661 --> 00:21:04,495
(sighing):
All my grass is dead.
417
00:21:04,497 --> 00:21:06,797
It's definitely
changed color
418
00:21:06,799 --> 00:21:08,266
since I was here
two days ago.
419
00:21:08,268 --> 00:21:12,136
Definitely see a difference
in the landscape and everything.
420
00:21:12,138 --> 00:21:16,807
NARRATOR:
Fortunately, her house
is still untouched by lava.
421
00:21:16,809 --> 00:21:18,209
Hey, Mom, it's me.
422
00:21:18,211 --> 00:21:20,678
We're okay,
we're still safe.
423
00:21:20,680 --> 00:21:23,047
NARRATOR:
But as she makes her inspection,
424
00:21:23,049 --> 00:21:26,817
there are further indications
that the eruption is not over.
425
00:21:26,819 --> 00:21:28,352
(booming in distance)
426
00:21:28,354 --> 00:21:31,422
WELCH:
Wow, did you hear that?
427
00:21:31,424 --> 00:21:34,191
I don't know where it's at.
428
00:21:34,193 --> 00:21:37,261
Just... scary.
429
00:21:37,263 --> 00:21:38,863
So scary.
430
00:21:38,865 --> 00:21:40,998
NARRATOR:
It's time to leave.
431
00:21:41,000 --> 00:21:45,436
Although the fissures here
have been quiet for days,
432
00:21:45,438 --> 00:21:48,939
there are signs
that the lull is over.
433
00:21:48,941 --> 00:21:50,341
MITCHELL:
I can hear these explosions
434
00:21:50,343 --> 00:21:51,909
happening somewhere here
on the left.
435
00:21:51,911 --> 00:21:56,580
There's something happening
just around the corner here.
436
00:21:56,582 --> 00:21:58,382
You can really see the heat
that's coming off
437
00:21:58,384 --> 00:21:59,450
at the end of the road here.
438
00:21:59,452 --> 00:22:01,719
You can see
the heat waves, wow.
439
00:22:01,721 --> 00:22:06,023
I think I can see a red glow
just over there, on the side.
440
00:22:06,025 --> 00:22:07,425
Something's on fire.
441
00:22:07,427 --> 00:22:09,393
Yeah, the vegetation's
caught fire.
442
00:22:09,395 --> 00:22:12,229
So it's likely there's
a small breakout of lava.
443
00:22:12,231 --> 00:22:14,398
(crackling)
444
00:22:14,400 --> 00:22:17,501
This just shows that
these fissures can reopen.
445
00:22:19,706 --> 00:22:21,072
At this stage,
446
00:22:21,074 --> 00:22:24,041
we should be hesitant
of actually getting any closer.
447
00:22:24,043 --> 00:22:25,943
The activity
is really, really picking up.
448
00:22:25,945 --> 00:22:29,413
NARRATOR:
Streets away, as Stacy
retreats from her property,
449
00:22:29,415 --> 00:22:32,416
she encounters a new flow.
450
00:22:32,418 --> 00:22:34,719
WELCH (gasps):
Is that lava?
451
00:22:34,721 --> 00:22:36,620
We were here two hours ago
452
00:22:36,622 --> 00:22:41,592
and it was not this advanced,
so it is really moving now.
453
00:22:43,596 --> 00:22:46,530
I thought it was taillights
when we pulled in.
454
00:22:46,532 --> 00:22:48,566
But that is definitely
not taillights.
455
00:22:48,568 --> 00:22:50,868
That is 100% lava.
456
00:22:50,870 --> 00:22:53,437
NARRATOR:
This flow is a sign
457
00:22:53,439 --> 00:22:56,807
that the nature of the eruption
is changing.
458
00:22:56,809 --> 00:22:59,944
The fountaining lava
is hotter and moving faster
459
00:22:59,946 --> 00:23:03,848
than the old lava
that erupted a week ago.
460
00:23:03,850 --> 00:23:05,716
This is the fresh lava
from Pu'u 'O'o
461
00:23:05,718 --> 00:23:08,352
that's finally
reached the surface.
462
00:23:08,354 --> 00:23:11,622
This eruption has
just become more dangerous.
463
00:23:11,624 --> 00:23:13,524
(fire crackling)
464
00:23:13,526 --> 00:23:17,094
WELCH:
At any time, my house could go.
465
00:23:17,096 --> 00:23:19,296
This is--
this is unstoppable.
466
00:23:19,298 --> 00:23:20,297
This is...
467
00:23:20,299 --> 00:23:22,600
epic.
468
00:23:22,602 --> 00:23:24,368
I'm never gonna
get this close again.
469
00:23:24,370 --> 00:23:25,903
I don't think I ever
want to be this close again.
470
00:23:25,905 --> 00:23:28,739
And this is scary
and we are not safe.
471
00:23:31,244 --> 00:23:33,177
NARRATOR:
With lava on the move,
472
00:23:33,179 --> 00:23:34,178
there is just one option:
473
00:23:34,180 --> 00:23:38,015
get out of the way.
474
00:23:38,017 --> 00:23:40,751
It's a reality
that's been faced here
475
00:23:40,753 --> 00:23:43,421
since time immemorial.
476
00:23:43,423 --> 00:23:46,957
(Manaiakalani Kalua chanting
in Hawaiian)
477
00:23:46,959 --> 00:23:51,095
(chanting)
478
00:23:52,932 --> 00:23:55,466
NARRATOR:
Ever since the first people
arrived
479
00:23:55,468 --> 00:23:57,034
on these bountiful islands,
480
00:23:57,036 --> 00:23:59,570
a wealth of beliefs and legends
has sprung up
481
00:23:59,572 --> 00:24:04,475
to account for these
devastating natural disasters.
482
00:24:04,477 --> 00:24:05,476
In Hawaiian culture,
483
00:24:05,478 --> 00:24:08,979
Pele, the goddess of fire,
484
00:24:08,981 --> 00:24:11,115
resides within the volcano.
485
00:24:11,117 --> 00:24:14,351
(chanting continues)
486
00:24:14,353 --> 00:24:16,887
A lot of people have used
the term that she's "upset,"
487
00:24:16,889 --> 00:24:20,090
so she's taking out houses,
and that's why
488
00:24:20,092 --> 00:24:21,826
there's a lot of destruction
and devastation.
489
00:24:21,828 --> 00:24:22,993
She's doing what she does.
490
00:24:22,995 --> 00:24:25,162
We're in her space.
491
00:24:25,164 --> 00:24:28,799
If she takes the house,
she takes the house.
492
00:24:28,801 --> 00:24:30,835
If she decides
to move around the house
493
00:24:30,837 --> 00:24:32,269
and spare the house,
494
00:24:32,271 --> 00:24:35,339
she decides to move around
and spare the house.
495
00:24:35,341 --> 00:24:37,241
But there's
temporary permanence
496
00:24:37,243 --> 00:24:40,678
to living within the boundaries
of Pele's domain.
497
00:24:40,680 --> 00:24:44,582
NARRATOR:
Building a home here
has always been a gamble.
498
00:24:44,584 --> 00:24:47,952
And sometimes,
your luck runs out.
499
00:24:47,954 --> 00:24:52,022
(Kalua chanting)
500
00:24:52,024 --> 00:24:56,193
May 17,
two weeks into the eruption.
501
00:24:56,195 --> 00:24:59,630
Just past 4 a.m.,
cameras on the peak
502
00:24:59,632 --> 00:25:02,032
of Kilauea's big sister
Mauna Kea
503
00:25:02,034 --> 00:25:07,104
catch a huge ash cloud bursting
from the summit of Kilauea.
504
00:25:07,106 --> 00:25:08,472
It looks like
the summit explosion
505
00:25:08,474 --> 00:25:11,609
predicted by the scientists.
506
00:25:11,611 --> 00:25:14,245
News media pick up the story.
507
00:25:14,247 --> 00:25:16,447
Stunning images tonight:
508
00:25:16,449 --> 00:25:18,616
that powerful explosion
at the summit of Kilauea
509
00:25:18,618 --> 00:25:21,585
shooting a plume of ash
some 30,000 feet into the air.
510
00:25:21,587 --> 00:25:24,588
NARRATOR:
It's the first sign
511
00:25:24,590 --> 00:25:26,891
that bigger explosions
might be on the way.
512
00:25:26,893 --> 00:25:31,996
But could it get even worse
than the 1924 event?
513
00:25:31,998 --> 00:25:34,298
As magma exits
the chamber beneath,
514
00:25:34,300 --> 00:25:35,566
heading down the mountain,
515
00:25:35,568 --> 00:25:39,703
the crater above is collapsing
inches per day
516
00:25:39,705 --> 00:25:41,305
in a series of earthquakes.
517
00:25:41,307 --> 00:25:47,077
(land and wall shaking)
518
00:25:47,079 --> 00:25:48,679
If the collapse continues,
519
00:25:48,681 --> 00:25:51,482
it could lead
to an even bigger threat.
520
00:25:51,484 --> 00:25:55,553
(explosion echoes)
521
00:25:55,555 --> 00:25:58,322
A pyroclastic surge:
522
00:25:58,324 --> 00:26:01,859
a superheated ash cloud
of vaporized rock and magma
523
00:26:01,861 --> 00:26:04,128
capable of flowing
across the landscape
524
00:26:04,130 --> 00:26:05,796
at hundreds of miles an hour,
525
00:26:05,798 --> 00:26:09,199
obliterating all it touches.
526
00:26:09,201 --> 00:26:10,701
Hundreds of years ago,
527
00:26:10,703 --> 00:26:13,938
a collapse of Kilauea's crater
528
00:26:13,940 --> 00:26:18,275
led to a similar event.
529
00:26:18,277 --> 00:26:21,011
In 1790, there were
quite large surges
530
00:26:21,013 --> 00:26:22,680
of this hot gas and ash
531
00:26:22,682 --> 00:26:24,315
that killed quite a few people.
532
00:26:24,317 --> 00:26:27,885
One of the big concerns was,
if this thing gets too big,
533
00:26:27,887 --> 00:26:31,555
are we going to go
into a pyroclastic phase?
534
00:26:31,557 --> 00:26:34,024
NARRATOR:
The local residents
535
00:26:34,026 --> 00:26:36,794
are increasingly concerned.
536
00:26:36,796 --> 00:26:40,431
PEEK:
Here's another plume
coming up right now.
537
00:26:40,433 --> 00:26:44,368
It's maybe 7,000 feet high,
maybe eight, I don't know.
538
00:26:44,370 --> 00:26:47,538
But I certainly
did not expect to see
539
00:26:47,540 --> 00:26:50,574
what I've seen pictures of
about 1924,
540
00:26:50,576 --> 00:26:52,910
and I'm certainly hoping
not to experience
541
00:26:52,912 --> 00:26:56,513
what I'd read about from 1790.
542
00:26:56,515 --> 00:26:59,817
NARRATOR:
The collapse is a worrying sign
543
00:26:59,819 --> 00:27:03,220
that events may be escalating.
544
00:27:05,291 --> 00:27:09,827
Could it be linked
to violent new activity
545
00:27:09,829 --> 00:27:12,262
now occurring down the mountain?
546
00:27:12,264 --> 00:27:15,666
Around Leilani Estates,
the lull is over,
547
00:27:15,668 --> 00:27:19,770
but the focus of eruptive
activity has moved east.
548
00:27:19,772 --> 00:27:21,872
Two new fissures have opened.
549
00:27:21,874 --> 00:27:26,710
One of them, fissure 17,
is pumping out exploding lava.
550
00:27:26,712 --> 00:27:30,781
(explosion echoes)
551
00:27:30,783 --> 00:27:33,817
Shooting huge chunks,
some as heavy as a refrigerator,
552
00:27:33,819 --> 00:27:36,520
hundreds of feet in the air.
553
00:27:36,522 --> 00:27:38,822
These lava bombs are responsible
554
00:27:38,824 --> 00:27:42,192
for the eruption's
first casualty.
555
00:27:42,194 --> 00:27:46,163
The media report on a resident
556
00:27:46,165 --> 00:27:47,965
struck by a bowling ball-sized
lava bomb
557
00:27:47,967 --> 00:27:50,868
that nearly sheared his leg
in half.
558
00:27:50,870 --> 00:27:55,739
The most forceful impact
I've ever had in my body
559
00:27:55,741 --> 00:27:57,041
in my life.
560
00:27:57,043 --> 00:28:01,145
NARRATOR:
So is this a sign
561
00:28:01,147 --> 00:28:03,213
that a new type
of explosive magma
562
00:28:03,215 --> 00:28:05,315
is building up under Kilauea?
563
00:28:05,317 --> 00:28:07,017
♪ ♪
564
00:28:07,019 --> 00:28:11,655
Cheryl's lab quickly analyzes
fissure 17 lava.
565
00:28:11,657 --> 00:28:13,924
They find it has
an unusual consistency.
566
00:28:13,926 --> 00:28:18,095
Most Hawaiian lava
is as runny as ketchup.
567
00:28:18,097 --> 00:28:21,665
It rarely holds on
to much magmatic gas.
568
00:28:21,667 --> 00:28:24,201
The gas bubbles
in Hawaiian magma
569
00:28:24,203 --> 00:28:25,669
can rise freely,
570
00:28:25,671 --> 00:28:27,204
and they just basically,
just burst at the surface
571
00:28:27,206 --> 00:28:30,607
and release the gas.
572
00:28:30,609 --> 00:28:32,710
(explosion echoes)
573
00:28:32,712 --> 00:28:37,648
NARRATOR:
But fissure 17 lava
is rich in silica,
574
00:28:37,650 --> 00:28:39,717
the main ingredient
in common sand.
575
00:28:39,719 --> 00:28:41,285
The silica thickens the lava
576
00:28:41,287 --> 00:28:44,321
to the consistency
of peanut butter.
577
00:28:44,323 --> 00:28:46,724
The stiffer your magma,
the more viscous it is.
578
00:28:46,726 --> 00:28:49,460
So when gas bubbles
are trying to escape,
579
00:28:49,462 --> 00:28:50,794
they can't expand very well,
580
00:28:50,796 --> 00:28:52,963
and they tend to build up
a lot of pressure
581
00:28:52,965 --> 00:28:54,098
and then explode.
582
00:28:54,100 --> 00:28:57,968
(explosion echoes)
583
00:28:59,071 --> 00:29:01,572
NARRATOR:
Most volcanoes around the world
584
00:29:01,574 --> 00:29:03,774
are fed by silica-rich magma,
585
00:29:03,776 --> 00:29:06,376
explaining the prevalence
of explosive eruptions.
586
00:29:06,378 --> 00:29:09,613
If magma this thick
were to build up
587
00:29:09,615 --> 00:29:11,482
beneath Kilauea's summit,
588
00:29:11,484 --> 00:29:13,984
a major explosion
could be in the cards.
589
00:29:13,986 --> 00:29:17,287
But Cheryl's team
have found chemical evidence
590
00:29:17,289 --> 00:29:21,225
that the fissure 17 lava is not
fresh from the summit at all.
591
00:29:21,227 --> 00:29:23,660
It seems to come
from another hidden remnant
592
00:29:23,662 --> 00:29:27,498
of extremely old magma
from a previous eruption,
593
00:29:27,500 --> 00:29:30,267
even older
than the 1955-type magma
594
00:29:30,269 --> 00:29:34,538
originally encountered
under Leilani Estates.
595
00:29:34,540 --> 00:29:37,708
The chemistry
was extremely evolved,
596
00:29:37,710 --> 00:29:40,210
meaning that it had been
stored longer
597
00:29:40,212 --> 00:29:43,180
than anything we'd ever seen
erupt on Kilauea.
598
00:29:43,182 --> 00:29:47,818
(explosion echoes)
599
00:29:47,820 --> 00:29:50,387
NARRATOR:
The longer a magma is stored,
600
00:29:50,389 --> 00:29:54,424
chemical changes increase
the concentration of silica.
601
00:29:54,426 --> 00:29:56,894
Fissure 17's lava is explosive,
602
00:29:56,896 --> 00:30:00,397
but it's tied
to a small, isolated pocket
603
00:30:00,399 --> 00:30:01,832
of thickened magma.
604
00:30:01,834 --> 00:30:04,968
This discovery indicates
that the explosive lava
605
00:30:04,970 --> 00:30:07,771
is unrelated
to the events at the summit.
606
00:30:07,773 --> 00:30:09,773
And for now,
the collapse of the crater
607
00:30:09,775 --> 00:30:13,277
is not great enough to trigger
a pyroclastic eruption.
608
00:30:13,279 --> 00:30:15,379
(ground shaking)
609
00:30:15,381 --> 00:30:17,781
But the ground
continues to shake,
610
00:30:17,783 --> 00:30:20,284
and the summit
is still subsiding
611
00:30:20,286 --> 00:30:23,020
as more and more magma
exits the chamber beneath,
612
00:30:23,022 --> 00:30:28,125
heading for the open fissures.
613
00:30:28,127 --> 00:30:30,060
Down the mountain,
614
00:30:30,062 --> 00:30:33,096
the thick silica-rich lava
of fissure 17
615
00:30:33,098 --> 00:30:35,899
is starting to congeal.
616
00:30:35,901 --> 00:30:38,202
But as pressure
from the summit continues,
617
00:30:38,204 --> 00:30:40,971
forceful new fissure
are opening behind it,
618
00:30:40,973 --> 00:30:45,475
generating new flows
heading in many directions.
619
00:30:45,477 --> 00:30:47,277
♪ ♪
620
00:30:47,279 --> 00:30:49,680
NEAL:
Understanding where the lava
was going
621
00:30:49,682 --> 00:30:51,281
was absolutely critical
622
00:30:51,283 --> 00:30:53,550
to providing
situational awareness
623
00:30:53,552 --> 00:30:54,651
for the civil authorities
624
00:30:54,653 --> 00:30:56,019
and issuing public warnings
in time.
625
00:30:56,021 --> 00:30:58,689
With multiple fissures erupting,
this was a challenge.
626
00:30:58,691 --> 00:31:01,458
NARRATOR:
Luckily, the authorities
627
00:31:01,460 --> 00:31:05,529
can call on some
state-of-the-art technology.
628
00:31:05,531 --> 00:31:08,966
We were requested
to help participate
629
00:31:08,968 --> 00:31:11,268
by Hawai'i County Civil Defense.
630
00:31:11,270 --> 00:31:13,170
And so we said, "Of course,
whatever we can do."
631
00:31:13,172 --> 00:31:15,138
(drone buzzing)
632
00:31:15,140 --> 00:31:19,076
NARRATOR:
Ryan Perroy's team
from the University of Hawai'i
633
00:31:19,078 --> 00:31:20,544
has been experimenting
with drones
634
00:31:20,546 --> 00:31:23,113
to track lava flows.
635
00:31:23,115 --> 00:31:27,317
Now their expertise
will prove vital.
636
00:31:27,319 --> 00:31:30,654
♪ ♪
637
00:31:30,656 --> 00:31:32,289
By returning repeatedly
638
00:31:32,291 --> 00:31:35,492
to a GPS-determined fixed point
above the lava's edge,
639
00:31:35,494 --> 00:31:37,694
the drones accurately plot
640
00:31:37,696 --> 00:31:41,131
precisely how fast
a flow is advancing.
641
00:31:41,133 --> 00:31:43,567
And unlike helicopters,
642
00:31:43,569 --> 00:31:45,669
drones can safely operate
day and night.
643
00:31:45,671 --> 00:31:47,504
(buzzing)
644
00:31:47,506 --> 00:31:50,073
♪ ♪
645
00:31:50,075 --> 00:31:51,875
PERROY:
It's critically important
646
00:31:51,877 --> 00:31:53,777
to be able to monitor the flows
on a 24-hour basis,
647
00:31:53,779 --> 00:31:56,313
because even if everybody's
asleep, you know,
648
00:31:56,315 --> 00:31:57,848
the lava's going
to potentially advance.
649
00:31:57,850 --> 00:32:01,718
NARRATOR:
Using thermal cameras,
they can register
650
00:32:01,720 --> 00:32:05,188
the heat signatures
of hidden subterranean cracks,
651
00:32:05,190 --> 00:32:11,495
helping to forewarn which ones
may evolve into new fissures.
652
00:32:11,497 --> 00:32:14,564
And they can help determine
which parts of a flow
653
00:32:14,566 --> 00:32:18,001
may lead the next advance.
654
00:32:18,003 --> 00:32:21,238
PERROY:
We've got areas down here
which have cooled off.
655
00:32:21,240 --> 00:32:22,606
These are probably
not the places
656
00:32:22,608 --> 00:32:24,541
where you're going to expect
to have new breakouts.
657
00:32:24,543 --> 00:32:26,610
You're going to see them
here and here.
658
00:32:27,846 --> 00:32:29,780
NARRATOR:
Drone predictions become vital
659
00:32:29,782 --> 00:32:32,249
to the emergency services,
660
00:32:32,251 --> 00:32:34,685
who are able to clear everyone
661
00:32:34,687 --> 00:32:40,090
safely out of the paths
of the multiple advancing flows.
662
00:32:40,092 --> 00:32:41,224
But though tracking
its short-term movements
663
00:32:41,226 --> 00:32:42,993
can be complicated,
664
00:32:42,995 --> 00:32:44,394
if it keeps flowing,
665
00:32:44,396 --> 00:32:49,032
a red-hot lava river
will always head downhill.
666
00:32:50,069 --> 00:32:52,402
Over three days,
the new flows make their way
667
00:32:52,404 --> 00:32:54,438
down to the ocean.
668
00:32:54,440 --> 00:32:57,574
But even as they arrive,
their power wanes.
669
00:32:57,576 --> 00:33:00,077
The pressure of magma
coming down the mountain
670
00:33:00,079 --> 00:33:03,013
is now reinvigorating
old fissures,
671
00:33:03,015 --> 00:33:06,950
moving the center of activity
back to Leilani Estates.
672
00:33:06,952 --> 00:33:09,786
(churning)
673
00:33:09,788 --> 00:33:13,957
Lava is gushing
faster than ever before,
674
00:33:13,959 --> 00:33:15,459
and pooling
within the hardened banks
675
00:33:15,461 --> 00:33:18,528
created by the earlier flows.
676
00:33:18,530 --> 00:33:21,465
Levels are rising by the hour,
677
00:33:21,467 --> 00:33:22,899
as lava pumps out
678
00:33:22,901 --> 00:33:26,903
at over 40 cubic feet
per second.
679
00:33:26,905 --> 00:33:28,872
NEAL:
Those rates
of eruptive activity,
680
00:33:28,874 --> 00:33:30,040
rates of lava flux,
681
00:33:30,042 --> 00:33:32,609
really had not been seen
at Kilauea before.
682
00:33:32,611 --> 00:33:34,878
PERROY:
If it was able to sort of
overflow those banks,
683
00:33:34,880 --> 00:33:36,146
then all bets are off
684
00:33:36,148 --> 00:33:38,248
in terms of where
it's going to cover next.
685
00:33:38,250 --> 00:33:41,618
NARRATOR:
Residents who thought
they'd escaped the worst
686
00:33:41,620 --> 00:33:43,653
are about to be hit again.
687
00:33:43,655 --> 00:33:46,456
(lava churning)
688
00:33:46,458 --> 00:33:49,459
It was just building up
and building up
689
00:33:49,461 --> 00:33:54,197
till surface tension gave
690
00:33:54,199 --> 00:33:55,665
and it spilled over.
691
00:33:55,667 --> 00:34:02,406
(eruption roaring)
692
00:34:02,408 --> 00:34:07,978
MAN:
This is insane.
693
00:34:07,980 --> 00:34:10,280
HANSON:
Lava's moving,
694
00:34:10,282 --> 00:34:15,452
encroaching at the rate
of one property a minute.
695
00:34:15,454 --> 00:34:18,321
Very quickly, it became
of a scale and magnitude
696
00:34:18,323 --> 00:34:19,990
greater than what
we were able to handle.
697
00:34:19,992 --> 00:34:22,993
♪ ♪
698
00:34:22,995 --> 00:34:27,831
NARRATOR:
The authorities scramble
to warn nearby residents,
699
00:34:27,833 --> 00:34:32,536
while drones keep an eye
on the advancing lava.
700
00:34:32,538 --> 00:34:34,037
(drone buzzing)
701
00:34:34,039 --> 00:34:37,941
Watching live drone footage
at Civil Defense Headquarters,
702
00:34:37,943 --> 00:34:39,309
Bill Hanson
suddenly spots something
703
00:34:39,311 --> 00:34:41,378
in the depths of the forest.
704
00:34:44,249 --> 00:34:45,348
HANSON:
The lights were flashing.
705
00:34:45,350 --> 00:34:46,583
And I looked at it,
706
00:34:46,585 --> 00:34:47,918
and I said, "Guys, do you know
what he's doing?
707
00:34:47,920 --> 00:34:50,620
He's flashing S.O.S."
708
00:34:50,622 --> 00:34:52,823
NARRATOR:
Forced to abandon his car,
709
00:34:52,825 --> 00:34:56,393
a resident has
become disoriented,
710
00:34:56,395 --> 00:35:00,797
his cell phone his only link
to his rescuers.
711
00:35:00,799 --> 00:35:05,302
A 911 operator patches him in
to the Civil Defense team,
712
00:35:05,304 --> 00:35:07,170
who summon the drone to his aid.
713
00:35:07,172 --> 00:35:08,605
HANSON:
And so we told him,
714
00:35:08,607 --> 00:35:09,739
"Can you see the drone?"
715
00:35:09,741 --> 00:35:11,108
He goes, "Yes,
I can see the drone."
716
00:35:11,110 --> 00:35:14,077
And we said, "Please
follow the drone out--
717
00:35:14,079 --> 00:35:15,879
the drone will lead you
to safety."
718
00:35:15,881 --> 00:35:18,482
NARRATOR:
Assisted by the flying beacon,
719
00:35:18,484 --> 00:35:21,818
the man is able to find his way
out of the forest,
720
00:35:21,820 --> 00:35:24,855
and make contact
with the rescue team.
721
00:35:24,857 --> 00:35:26,523
And everybody was, of course,
elated
722
00:35:26,525 --> 00:35:29,092
that we were able
to work technology
723
00:35:29,094 --> 00:35:31,695
into saving a life.
724
00:35:31,697 --> 00:35:34,097
That was a really special story
725
00:35:34,099 --> 00:35:38,735
that we were proud
to be part of.
726
00:35:40,139 --> 00:35:44,141
NARRATOR:
The eruption has now entered
a new phase.
727
00:35:44,143 --> 00:35:46,910
From this point on,
one fissure starts to dominate--
728
00:35:46,912 --> 00:35:48,378
fissure eight.
729
00:35:48,380 --> 00:35:51,515
Its flow rate is so great
730
00:35:51,517 --> 00:35:54,251
that the spatter
forms an immense cone...
731
00:35:54,253 --> 00:35:59,055
(lava churning)
732
00:35:59,057 --> 00:36:00,924
...as it pumps out
733
00:36:00,926 --> 00:36:03,226
over 3,000 cubic feet of lava
per second...
734
00:36:03,228 --> 00:36:09,733
(lava flowing)
735
00:36:09,735 --> 00:36:13,870
...forming a vast river
hundreds of yards across.
736
00:36:13,872 --> 00:36:20,177
♪ ♪
737
00:36:20,179 --> 00:36:22,679
PERROY:
It is an awe-inspiring thing
738
00:36:22,681 --> 00:36:25,949
to watch these flows
and watch them evolve
739
00:36:25,951 --> 00:36:27,384
and change over time,
740
00:36:27,386 --> 00:36:32,989
and to see these immense
channels and rivers of lava
741
00:36:32,991 --> 00:36:35,392
just passing underneath you.
742
00:36:35,394 --> 00:36:40,363
It is a very
humbling experience.
743
00:36:40,365 --> 00:36:43,533
♪ ♪
744
00:36:49,007 --> 00:36:53,677
NARRATOR:
The new flow powers forward
for miles and miles.
745
00:36:58,750 --> 00:37:01,585
It's now clear
the effects of this eruption
746
00:37:01,587 --> 00:37:05,288
will be widespread
and long-lasting.
747
00:37:05,290 --> 00:37:09,893
Countless more acres
will be poisoned
748
00:37:09,895 --> 00:37:14,264
or buried
under a red-hot blanket.
749
00:37:14,266 --> 00:37:17,167
But for the Hawaiian ecosystem,
this is not the calamity
750
00:37:17,169 --> 00:37:19,970
that it first appears.
751
00:37:19,972 --> 00:37:22,505
The wave of destruction
may ultimately generate
752
00:37:22,507 --> 00:37:25,308
the seeds of life.
753
00:37:30,349 --> 00:37:32,916
Rick Hazlett,
from the University of Hawai'i,
754
00:37:32,918 --> 00:37:35,518
is investigating a cave
hidden in the rainforest.
755
00:37:37,389 --> 00:37:41,625
A gateway to
the Hawaiian underworld,
756
00:37:41,627 --> 00:37:46,596
revealing subterranean secrets
about the island's formation.
757
00:37:48,400 --> 00:37:50,500
HAZLETT:
To enter one of these caves
758
00:37:50,502 --> 00:37:54,671
is like seeing
the inside of an eruption.
759
00:37:54,673 --> 00:37:58,675
♪ ♪
760
00:37:58,677 --> 00:38:01,611
This is a lava tube.
761
00:38:09,554 --> 00:38:10,987
NARRATOR:
Countless numbers
762
00:38:10,989 --> 00:38:12,956
of these huge subterranean tubes
763
00:38:12,958 --> 00:38:15,592
crisscross Hawai'i.
764
00:38:16,728 --> 00:38:20,530
Some, like this one,
can be over 30 miles long.
765
00:38:22,534 --> 00:38:26,102
They are the remains
of lava flows
766
00:38:26,104 --> 00:38:28,705
that hardened on the outside,
767
00:38:28,707 --> 00:38:30,273
but stayed liquid on the inside,
768
00:38:30,275 --> 00:38:33,777
continuing to flow
for months or years
769
00:38:33,779 --> 00:38:36,579
until they ran out of lava.
770
00:38:36,581 --> 00:38:39,616
HAZLETT:
So like a dam
or a reservoir draining,
771
00:38:39,618 --> 00:38:43,820
the lava emptied this passageway
and exposed the cave
772
00:38:43,822 --> 00:38:46,923
that we can enjoy
and explore today.
773
00:38:49,494 --> 00:38:51,461
NARRATOR:
You don't see lava tubes
774
00:38:51,463 --> 00:38:53,363
in many places around the world.
775
00:38:53,365 --> 00:38:56,933
Unusually hot lava is needed
to maintain tunnels
776
00:38:56,935 --> 00:39:00,804
that can extend
such great distances.
777
00:39:00,806 --> 00:39:03,340
(lava churning)
778
00:39:03,342 --> 00:39:06,009
But Hawaiian volcanoes cook up
some of the hottest lava
779
00:39:06,011 --> 00:39:08,111
on Earth,
780
00:39:08,113 --> 00:39:13,249
over 200 degrees hotter
than most other volcanoes.
781
00:39:13,251 --> 00:39:17,320
So Hawaiian flows
can spread the lava
782
00:39:17,322 --> 00:39:19,289
far and wide.
783
00:39:19,291 --> 00:39:20,957
HAZLETT:
They're landscape builders.
784
00:39:20,959 --> 00:39:23,727
They're like a metro system
delivering passengers
785
00:39:23,729 --> 00:39:25,395
here and there.
786
00:39:25,397 --> 00:39:27,597
In this case, the delivery
is molten lava,
787
00:39:27,599 --> 00:39:32,102
and the product is a new
landscape, a larger island.
788
00:39:34,639 --> 00:39:39,175
NARRATOR:
Lava flows aren't
a curse upon Hawai'i.
789
00:39:39,177 --> 00:39:42,045
They are Hawai'i.
790
00:39:42,047 --> 00:39:44,814
HAZLETT:
Essentially,
100% of the landscape
791
00:39:44,816 --> 00:39:46,182
that you view in Hawai'i
792
00:39:46,184 --> 00:39:49,686
is made up of lava flows
piled one on top of the other
793
00:39:49,688 --> 00:39:52,822
to build these volcanoes
in the sea.
794
00:39:52,824 --> 00:39:56,192
NARRATOR:
And it turns out
795
00:39:56,194 --> 00:39:59,763
that this hardened lava
is rich in nutrient chemicals.
796
00:39:59,765 --> 00:40:02,532
As the lava breaks down,
797
00:40:02,534 --> 00:40:07,771
it produces some of the most
fertile soils on the planet.
798
00:40:11,343 --> 00:40:16,279
From the ashes of destruction,
tomorrow's forests will be born.
799
00:40:23,054 --> 00:40:26,723
And there's another distinctive
feature of Hawai'i's volcanoes--
800
00:40:26,725 --> 00:40:29,559
their sheer size.
801
00:40:32,464 --> 00:40:35,932
Take away the ocean,
and they are revealed to be
802
00:40:35,934 --> 00:40:38,735
the highest mountains on Earth.
803
00:40:38,737 --> 00:40:42,872
At over 30,000 feet,
Kilauea's neighbors,
804
00:40:42,874 --> 00:40:44,240
Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa,
805
00:40:44,242 --> 00:40:46,576
put even Everest in the shade,
806
00:40:46,578 --> 00:40:52,482
all built by a powerful
and persistent supply of magma.
807
00:40:52,484 --> 00:40:54,484
Hawaiian volcanoes are maybe
the most productive volcanoes
808
00:40:54,486 --> 00:40:55,518
on Earth.
809
00:40:55,520 --> 00:40:58,521
They erupt very frequently,
810
00:40:58,523 --> 00:41:01,791
and just keep piling on
more and more and more.
811
00:41:01,793 --> 00:41:04,060
NARRATOR:
So what is so special
about Hawai'i
812
00:41:04,062 --> 00:41:07,096
that it can supply
such an abundance
813
00:41:07,098 --> 00:41:12,535
of extra-hot magma
to its volcanoes?
814
00:41:14,005 --> 00:41:16,306
Kilauea is situated
on the southeast end
815
00:41:16,308 --> 00:41:19,275
of the island chain.
816
00:41:19,277 --> 00:41:23,179
As you move northwest, the
volcanoes become less active,
817
00:41:23,181 --> 00:41:26,049
and the lava flows more ancient.
818
00:41:26,051 --> 00:41:29,319
It's a sign that
the Hawaiian chain may be formed
819
00:41:29,321 --> 00:41:33,590
by a powerful force from the
depths-- a subterranean hotspot.
820
00:41:37,095 --> 00:41:40,830
Hotspots are generated
by plumes of hot, softened rock,
821
00:41:40,832 --> 00:41:44,501
rising up
from deep in the mantle.
822
00:41:44,503 --> 00:41:47,237
When they contact
the Earth's crustal plate,
823
00:41:47,239 --> 00:41:51,074
the magma infiltrates
the solid rock.
824
00:41:51,076 --> 00:41:52,175
Over millions of years,
825
00:41:52,177 --> 00:41:55,144
as the plate
passes over the hotspot,
826
00:41:55,146 --> 00:41:58,081
a chain of islands is created.
827
00:41:58,083 --> 00:42:00,984
The plume hypothesis can explain
828
00:42:00,986 --> 00:42:04,554
why Hawai'i's lava is so hot
and so abundant.
829
00:42:04,556 --> 00:42:08,558
And why these islands grow
at such an impressive rate.
830
00:42:08,560 --> 00:42:13,463
In 2018, this growth
is on stark display.
831
00:42:13,465 --> 00:42:16,866
In the first week of June,
the main flow from fissure eight
832
00:42:16,868 --> 00:42:18,968
advances
through residential areas.
833
00:42:18,970 --> 00:42:21,704
Hundreds more islanders
are forced to evacuate
834
00:42:21,706 --> 00:42:24,574
as it makes its way
to the ocean.
835
00:42:24,576 --> 00:42:28,077
This time, when it hits,
836
00:42:28,079 --> 00:42:30,647
the flow shows no sign
of dying down.
837
00:42:30,649 --> 00:42:33,383
♪ ♪
838
00:42:33,385 --> 00:42:36,152
Wherever the front of the flow
meets the ocean,
839
00:42:36,154 --> 00:42:37,554
there is an explosive reaction.
840
00:42:37,556 --> 00:42:40,857
(explosion echoing)
841
00:42:40,859 --> 00:42:44,193
Sending lava bombs
hundreds of feet into the air.
842
00:42:44,195 --> 00:42:48,097
(explosion echoing)
843
00:42:48,099 --> 00:42:51,067
On July 16,
a boatload of tourists
844
00:42:51,069 --> 00:42:52,402
get more
than they bargained for
845
00:42:52,404 --> 00:42:56,139
when they get too close
to an explosive front line.
846
00:42:56,141 --> 00:43:02,612
(people screaming)
847
00:43:02,614 --> 00:43:07,584
NARRATOR:
They are lucky to survive
relatively unscathed--
848
00:43:07,586 --> 00:43:10,954
a few nasty burns
and one broken leg.
849
00:43:12,023 --> 00:43:14,891
From the violent clash
between ocean and lava,
850
00:43:14,893 --> 00:43:19,062
new land is born.
851
00:43:19,064 --> 00:43:21,731
Coastal waters
have been pushed away,
852
00:43:21,733 --> 00:43:25,101
replaced by a lava delta
with an area equivalent
853
00:43:25,103 --> 00:43:28,037
to nearly 700 football fields.
854
00:43:29,708 --> 00:43:33,776
As long as the volcanoes
stay active,
855
00:43:33,778 --> 00:43:38,047
this island will continue
to grow.
856
00:43:38,049 --> 00:43:41,317
But while volcanic eruptions
are busy building up Hawai'i,
857
00:43:41,319 --> 00:43:47,023
other processes are busy
bringing her down.
858
00:43:47,025 --> 00:43:50,526
Her first enemy
is the tropical climate.
859
00:43:52,597 --> 00:43:55,331
(thunder claps)
860
00:43:55,333 --> 00:43:56,899
(rain pelting)
861
00:43:58,770 --> 00:44:05,508
♪ ♪
862
00:44:05,510 --> 00:44:07,710
Hawai'i is the wettest state
in the U.S.A.,
863
00:44:07,712 --> 00:44:11,381
drenched by an average
864
00:44:11,383 --> 00:44:14,717
of over five feet of rain
each year.
865
00:44:14,719 --> 00:44:18,187
This deluge results from the
combination of high mountains
866
00:44:18,189 --> 00:44:21,591
and an enormous ocean.
867
00:44:21,593 --> 00:44:26,863
Moist air coming off the sea
hits the land, rising, cooling,
868
00:44:26,865 --> 00:44:29,766
and releasing downpours
869
00:44:29,768 --> 00:44:33,302
that begin a process
of quiet destruction.
870
00:44:34,873 --> 00:44:38,141
♪ ♪
871
00:44:38,143 --> 00:44:40,677
Volcanic basalt is a porous rock
872
00:44:40,679 --> 00:44:43,012
highly susceptible
to the elements.
873
00:44:47,352 --> 00:44:49,485
HAZLETT:
Rock such as this,
874
00:44:49,487 --> 00:44:51,087
the basalt that erupts
875
00:44:51,089 --> 00:44:53,456
and builds these volcanoes
in Hawai'i,
876
00:44:53,458 --> 00:44:55,558
is especially prone
to weathering
877
00:44:55,560 --> 00:44:57,060
in Earth's atmosphere.
878
00:44:57,062 --> 00:44:59,996
Compared to other rock types,
like granite,
879
00:44:59,998 --> 00:45:04,267
rocks like this,
exposed to moisture
880
00:45:04,269 --> 00:45:06,969
for very long periods of time
in this warm climate,
881
00:45:06,971 --> 00:45:09,672
will slowly dissolve.
882
00:45:09,674 --> 00:45:11,941
You have to think
of the Hawaiian Islands
883
00:45:11,943 --> 00:45:15,611
as being temporary
geographical features.
884
00:45:18,850 --> 00:45:20,783
NARRATOR:
The islands are fragile.
885
00:45:20,785 --> 00:45:23,619
Weathering, erosion,
and massive landslides
886
00:45:23,621 --> 00:45:27,724
mean they are continuously
crumbling away.
887
00:45:27,726 --> 00:45:29,459
But more importantly,
888
00:45:29,461 --> 00:45:31,728
as the islands drift away
from the hotspot,
889
00:45:31,730 --> 00:45:34,430
the cooling plate descends,
890
00:45:34,432 --> 00:45:37,066
drawing them slowly
beneath the ocean.
891
00:45:37,068 --> 00:45:40,069
It's been happening
for millions of years.
892
00:45:43,308 --> 00:45:46,676
To the northwest
lies the Emperor Seamount chain,
893
00:45:46,678 --> 00:45:49,278
stretching thousands of miles--
894
00:45:49,280 --> 00:45:52,315
relics of previous generations
of Hawaiian islands,
895
00:45:52,317 --> 00:45:57,019
now submerged shadows
of their former glory.
896
00:45:59,324 --> 00:46:04,393
In 2018, another island remnant
disappeared beneath the waves,
897
00:46:04,395 --> 00:46:09,766
the last sands of East Island
swallowed by the sea.
898
00:46:12,904 --> 00:46:16,205
So is the Hawaiian archipelago
doomed to disappear?
899
00:46:18,810 --> 00:46:22,145
There's new activity just to the
southeast of the Big Island.
900
00:46:24,549 --> 00:46:27,817
It's attracted SS Nautilus,
a research vessel.
901
00:46:27,819 --> 00:46:31,788
From here, oceanographers
are guiding a submersible
902
00:46:31,790 --> 00:46:33,790
down into the depths.
903
00:46:33,792 --> 00:46:35,291
DARLENE LIM:
We're working down
904
00:46:35,293 --> 00:46:36,859
about a mile underwater.
905
00:46:36,861 --> 00:46:39,328
It's very dark there--
it's perpetually dark there.
906
00:46:39,330 --> 00:46:44,300
NARRATOR:
The submersible
has reached its target.
907
00:46:44,302 --> 00:46:46,302
It's time to light up the scene.
908
00:46:55,013 --> 00:46:58,481
LIM:
The steepness of it
is so remarkable...
909
00:46:58,483 --> 00:46:59,882
CHRIS GERMAN:
Look how that drops away
down the other side.
910
00:46:59,884 --> 00:47:01,617
LIM:
It's incredible.
911
00:47:01,619 --> 00:47:03,152
GERMAN:
It's brutal.
912
00:47:03,154 --> 00:47:06,956
NARRATOR:
The team find
what they are looking for--
913
00:47:06,958 --> 00:47:10,126
a hydrothermal vent.
914
00:47:10,128 --> 00:47:12,261
LIM:
What's very exciting
915
00:47:12,263 --> 00:47:14,463
is that right now, it is active,
916
00:47:14,465 --> 00:47:17,767
and there is hot water that's
venting from certain regions.
917
00:47:17,769 --> 00:47:23,372
NARRATOR:
The water around the vent
is close to boiling point.
918
00:47:23,374 --> 00:47:25,875
It's hot
because this piece of land
919
00:47:25,877 --> 00:47:28,945
is the summit of Lo'ihi,
920
00:47:28,947 --> 00:47:32,882
an active volcano
submerged beneath the ocean,
921
00:47:32,884 --> 00:47:37,053
created by the same
geological hotspot
922
00:47:37,055 --> 00:47:39,789
driving the eruptions
on the island above.
923
00:47:39,791 --> 00:47:45,094
Lo'ihi is over two miles high,
and growing inches per year.
924
00:47:45,096 --> 00:47:49,932
LIM:
This is something which will
progress on its own time.
925
00:47:49,934 --> 00:47:52,335
We're going to have to wait
hundreds of thousands of years,
926
00:47:52,337 --> 00:47:54,804
would be my guess, or at least
tens of thousands of years,
927
00:47:54,806 --> 00:47:58,007
before we see anything
that'll breach the surface.
928
00:47:58,009 --> 00:48:01,644
NARRATOR:
Lo'ihi will likely
form the next island
929
00:48:01,646 --> 00:48:04,580
in the Hawaiian archipelago...
930
00:48:06,351 --> 00:48:10,720
...proof that as old islands
sink beneath the sea,
931
00:48:10,722 --> 00:48:14,357
new islands will rise
to replace them.
932
00:48:14,359 --> 00:48:16,692
Hawai'i will survive.
933
00:48:24,369 --> 00:48:31,173
It's weeks later, early October,
and Leilani Estates is quiet.
934
00:48:31,175 --> 00:48:33,776
The 100-foot cone
of fissure eight,
935
00:48:33,778 --> 00:48:35,978
the center of so much activity,
936
00:48:35,980 --> 00:48:38,080
lies dormant.
937
00:48:38,082 --> 00:48:42,351
For over a month,
the scientists have detected
938
00:48:42,353 --> 00:48:46,255
little eruptive activity
anywhere on the volcano.
939
00:48:46,257 --> 00:48:48,424
FRANK TRUSDELL:
There is no molten lava
940
00:48:48,426 --> 00:48:52,061
in this area at the surface.
941
00:48:52,063 --> 00:48:55,865
There is no molten lava
anywhere on Kilauea volcano.
942
00:48:55,867 --> 00:49:00,303
For the Leilani eruption,
it's over.
943
00:49:00,305 --> 00:49:04,373
NARRATOR:
This eruption lasted
over three months,
944
00:49:04,375 --> 00:49:07,810
producing enough lava
to bury the whole of Manhattan
945
00:49:07,812 --> 00:49:10,880
nearly 30 feet deep.
946
00:49:10,882 --> 00:49:13,649
It covered
nearly 14 square miles,
947
00:49:13,651 --> 00:49:18,154
and built 875 acres of new land
in the ocean.
948
00:49:18,156 --> 00:49:22,725
♪ ♪
949
00:49:24,128 --> 00:49:26,228
At the top of the mountain,
950
00:49:26,230 --> 00:49:29,465
the dreaded summit eruption
never materialized.
951
00:49:29,467 --> 00:49:32,068
But the draining
of the magma chamber
952
00:49:32,070 --> 00:49:34,937
led to an epic
slow-motion collapse.
953
00:49:39,777 --> 00:49:43,179
The crater is now
15 times larger,
954
00:49:43,181 --> 00:49:47,850
and deeper than the
Empire State Building is high.
955
00:49:50,355 --> 00:49:53,122
Those who chose to live
on the slopes of Kilauea
956
00:49:53,124 --> 00:49:54,757
are counting the cost
957
00:49:54,759 --> 00:49:59,028
of their high-stakes bargain
with paradise.
958
00:49:59,030 --> 00:50:03,466
Over 700 properties
were swallowed by the lava.
959
00:50:03,468 --> 00:50:08,637
Stacy Welch is
one of the lucky ones.
960
00:50:08,639 --> 00:50:11,040
Her house is still standing.
961
00:50:11,042 --> 00:50:12,942
WELCH:
I'm still in shock.
962
00:50:12,944 --> 00:50:19,115
It's just the power of nature--
it's unbelievable.
963
00:50:19,117 --> 00:50:21,550
That's incredible to me,
964
00:50:21,552 --> 00:50:25,287
to have something just come
and wipe everything out
965
00:50:25,289 --> 00:50:28,557
when there were 700 homes there,
and now there's nothing.
966
00:50:28,559 --> 00:50:31,927
There are no words sometimes.
967
00:50:31,929 --> 00:50:35,698
The healing from this is,
it's going to be lifelong.
968
00:50:35,700 --> 00:50:38,334
It makes all your other problems
look really small
969
00:50:38,336 --> 00:50:39,635
when you're dealing with lava.
970
00:50:39,637 --> 00:50:42,571
I would not have wanted
to miss it,
971
00:50:42,573 --> 00:50:44,840
but I don't want it
to happen again.
972
00:50:48,546 --> 00:50:51,347
KALUA:
You know, we all know
973
00:50:51,349 --> 00:50:52,681
that there's a possibility
974
00:50:52,683 --> 00:50:54,183
that we may not have a house
tomorrow.
975
00:50:56,454 --> 00:51:01,757
But if we can live with her,
if we do what we need to do
976
00:51:01,759 --> 00:51:04,727
in taking care of our land,
977
00:51:04,729 --> 00:51:07,296
that's the ideal of what I think
is being Hawaiian.
978
00:51:07,298 --> 00:51:13,002
♪ ♪
979
00:51:13,004 --> 00:51:18,207
NARRATOR:
In 2018, Kilauea proved
her destructive potential.
980
00:51:18,209 --> 00:51:23,079
But if science tells us
anything, she isn't done yet.
981
00:51:23,081 --> 00:51:26,082
Scientists are confident
that someday,
982
00:51:26,084 --> 00:51:28,184
in the not-too-distant future,
983
00:51:28,186 --> 00:51:31,687
the lava will return.
984
00:51:31,689 --> 00:51:33,823
NEAL:
Even though there may not be
lava moving across the surface,
985
00:51:33,825 --> 00:51:36,826
HVO is still on guard
and being vigilant
986
00:51:36,828 --> 00:51:37,927
and watching the activity,
987
00:51:37,929 --> 00:51:40,262
looking for changes
that might mean
988
00:51:40,264 --> 00:51:43,099
that more dangerous activity
is coming.
989
00:51:43,101 --> 00:51:45,034
This is a very active volcano,
990
00:51:45,036 --> 00:51:47,903
and it will erupt again.
991
00:52:13,331 --> 00:52:15,664
To order this "NOVA" program
on DVD,
992
00:52:15,666 --> 00:52:20,703
visit ShopPBS
or call 1-800-PLAY-PBS.
993
00:52:20,705 --> 00:52:26,175
This program is also available
on Amazon Prime Video.
994
00:52:26,177 --> 00:52:28,144
♪ ♪
76057
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