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Explosions.
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Earthquakes.
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You guys all right?
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Would you get away from there?!
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Lava in the streets.
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This is insane.
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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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Whoa!
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Residents flee for their lives.
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We're packed, and
we're evacuating.
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As the Earth erupts
beneath their homes.
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There was a house there.
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Yeah, it's gone,
it's under the lava.
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And nature turns 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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Tracking subterranean
magma flows.
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Think of it like a sword
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cutting its way
through the rock.
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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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And uncovering secrets held
inside the molten rock.
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The chemistry
was extremely evolved.
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All to answer the question
on everyone's mind:
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How bad will it get?
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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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"Kilauea: Hawai'i on Fire."
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Right now, on "NOVA."
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Major funding for "NOVA"
is provided by the following:
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Whoa, watch out!
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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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This is... I don't know, man!
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Fountaining hundreds of feet
into the air.
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We need medical assistance here!
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It's an eruption on a scale
not seen for a generation.
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450 earthquakes in
just the last 24 hours.
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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 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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Is this the start
of a new period
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of dangerous volcanic activity?
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This is unstoppable.
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This is epic.
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00:03:01,820 --> 00:03:04,220
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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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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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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00:04:22,850 --> 00:04:26,420
We had a situation where
the lava lake at the summit
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00:04:26,450 --> 00:04:29,750
was high, higher than
it had been for quite a while,
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00:04:29,780 --> 00:04:33,150
and in fact, it was periodically
beginning to overflow.
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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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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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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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00:04:55,280 --> 00:04:57,550
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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The magmatic pressure
within the volcano was high.
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00:05:05,550 --> 00:05:08,200
This meant there could be
a change coming,
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00:05:08,500 --> 00:05:10,620
although we weren't quite sure
the nature of that change.
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00:05:11,980 --> 00:05:17,350
On April 30, that change
arrives with shocking speed.
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In a matter of hours,
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all the lava in the
Pu'u 'O'o vent disappears,
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leaving a gaping hole.
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It catches the volcanologists
off-guard.
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00:05:31,250 --> 00:05:32,620
We were a little surprised.
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00:05:32,650 --> 00:05:35,480
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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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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The seismograms
were off the charts,
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and, you know, I knew
something big was happening.
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00:06:01,420 --> 00:06:03,580
Brian Shiro is a seismologist
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00:06:03,620 --> 00:06:06,220
with the
Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.
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00:06:06,250 --> 00:06:08,750
He monitors a network of
around 80 earthquake detectors
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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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by a swarm of tiny tremors.
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A swarm of earthquakes
is a grouping of earthquakes
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close together
in space and time.
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00:06:30,350 --> 00:06:33,420
Given the context of Pu'u 'O'o,
there really was no question
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what this was related to.
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Below the surface,
pressure from the magma
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has suddenly fractured
the surrounding rock,
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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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Think of it like a sword
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00:07:00,250 --> 00:07:01,620
that's traveling
beneath the ground
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00:07:01,650 --> 00:07:03,880
and cutting its way
through the rock as it goes.
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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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The earthquakes indicate
the Pu'u 'O'o magma
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is advancing
down Kilauea's east rift,
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heading out
of the national park,
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00:07:27,420 --> 00:07:30,780
down towards the ocean
20 miles away.
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Directly in its path
lie the homes
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of thousands of people.
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It was possible
that magma would move
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through the rift zone system
and not erupt,
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00:07:41,820 --> 00:07:44,200
but there was also
a strong likelihood
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that it would eventually
find its way to the surface.
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We decided we must inform
the Civil Defense authorities.
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We may not have
a lot of time for warning.
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00:08:00,480 --> 00:08:04,520
For 48 hours, the earthquakes
have moved east.
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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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00:08:14,820 --> 00:08:15,973
it's going to have to go
somewhere.
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The magma is creeping upwards.
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00:08:19,380 --> 00:08:20,820
Above lies Leilani Estates,
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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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This is a Civil Defense message.
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An eruption is possible.
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We were getting reports
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that there was a lot
of earthquake activity.
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Prepare in case
of the need for evacuation.
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We were hoping for the best,
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but we were planning
for the worst.
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As the ground continues
to shake,
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residents soon see their
neighborhood is in trouble.
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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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I don't know
if you can see that.
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There's my hand.
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The cracks grow
in size and number.
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This is new, coming
out of there.
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And steam begins to billow
from the depths.
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At that point,
we were fairly certain.
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We knew that it
was not if, but when.
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At 5 p.m. on May 3,
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the ground opens
and the nightmare begins.
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Oh, my God.
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We're packed
and we're evacuating.
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The eruption quickly becomes
international news.
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A part of Hawai'i is
under a mandatory evacuation.
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This right here
is a residential area
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00:09:55,800 --> 00:09:57,720
about 30 kilometers
from Mt. Kilauea,
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and lava is being thrown up
in the middle of the road.
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Authorities have ordered
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more than 1,700 people
to leave immediately.
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00:10:06,950 --> 00:10:08,820
I heard this roar.
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00:10:08,850 --> 00:10:12,520
Almost like a fire-breathing
dragon sort of a noise.
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00:10:12,550 --> 00:10:14,780
It's the birth of a fissure.
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00:10:16,380 --> 00:10:21,780
One by one, fissures
are opening up.
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Over the next few days,
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the neighborhood
is ripped apart.
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- This is freakin'...
- I don't know, man.
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I've been crying all morning.
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Lava is now pouring
over the land...
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...generating multiple flows
that advance across roads...
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Would you get away from there?!
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...and into homes.
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00:11:02,450 --> 00:11:06,380
They are slow-moving,
but relentless.
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00:11:06,420 --> 00:11:11,480
What a flow doesn't
bury, it sets on fire.
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00:11:14,350 --> 00:11:16,520
Even as it blackens
and solidifies,
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00:11:16,550 --> 00:11:18,820
it's over
1,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
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00:11:18,850 --> 00:11:21,280
Burning its way
through the pavement.
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00:11:27,880 --> 00:11:31,280
Across the neighborhood,
residents are evacuating.
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00:11:31,320 --> 00:11:33,580
When you finally do
get back home,
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00:11:33,620 --> 00:11:35,550
what will you find?
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00:11:35,580 --> 00:11:37,880
Ashes.
It's ashes.
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00:11:45,520 --> 00:11:48,380
It's now over a week
since the fissures opened,
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00:11:48,420 --> 00:11:50,280
and the eruption continues.
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00:11:53,120 --> 00:11:55,280
To gauge the extent
of the lava flow,
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00:11:55,320 --> 00:11:58,480
volcanologist Sam Mitchell
from the University of Hawai'i
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00:11:58,520 --> 00:12:00,650
is going in for a closer look.
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00:12:03,150 --> 00:12:05,320
It's really quite something,
to be able to watch it,
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00:12:05,350 --> 00:12:06,850
and especially
to see it from up above.
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00:12:06,880 --> 00:12:14,580
15 fissures have now erupted,
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00:12:14,620 --> 00:12:20,480
spewing out enough lava
to cover 88 football fields.
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00:12:20,520 --> 00:12:23,350
It's clear
that all the fissures originate
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00:12:23,380 --> 00:12:26,280
from the same thin,
deep crack in the Earth.
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00:12:29,750 --> 00:12:31,250
At the moment, all the fissures
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00:12:31,280 --> 00:12:33,120
are erupting
along one single line,
218
00:12:33,150 --> 00:12:37,120
but the lava flows can then
spread laterally either side,
219
00:12:37,150 --> 00:12:39,150
and that's the biggest danger.
220
00:12:39,180 --> 00:12:41,350
It's difficult to know
which fissures
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00:12:41,380 --> 00:12:43,220
will produce large flows
222
00:12:43,250 --> 00:12:46,920
and how far those flows
will actually go.
223
00:12:46,950 --> 00:12:49,250
This really
is an evolving story.
224
00:12:53,280 --> 00:12:57,380
But now the flows
appear to be slowing.
225
00:12:57,420 --> 00:13:00,150
After a week of activity,
226
00:13:00,180 --> 00:13:03,800
many of the original fissures
around Leilani Estates
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00:13:03,120 --> 00:13:05,480
are sputtering to a halt.
228
00:13:05,520 --> 00:13:09,200
Bill Hanson's Civil Defense team
notices the change.
229
00:13:09,500 --> 00:13:11,880
There was spattering, yes,
there was noise, yes,
230
00:13:11,920 --> 00:13:16,580
but there wasn't any flow;
the lava was very static.
231
00:13:16,620 --> 00:13:18,320
After a week of chaos,
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00:13:18,350 --> 00:13:20,650
could the eruption
be winding down?
233
00:13:20,680 --> 00:13:24,780
The only way to find out
is a risky scramble
234
00:13:24,820 --> 00:13:26,680
to sample the lava.
235
00:13:32,680 --> 00:13:35,220
Getting up-close and personal
to a lava flow
236
00:13:35,250 --> 00:13:37,480
is not for the faint-hearted.
237
00:13:37,520 --> 00:13:38,920
But for researchers
238
00:13:38,950 --> 00:13:43,450
like University of Hawai'i
volcanologist Cheryl Gansecki,
239
00:13:43,480 --> 00:13:46,250
what lava can reveal
about the status of the eruption
240
00:13:46,280 --> 00:13:48,620
is worth the risk.
241
00:13:48,650 --> 00:13:52,180
We would put out tubs
to try to catch some lava
242
00:13:52,220 --> 00:13:53,150
falling out of the sky.
243
00:13:53,180 --> 00:13:55,780
You really go as fast as you can
244
00:13:55,820 --> 00:13:57,143
and hope you've grabbed
enough material,
245
00:13:57,150 --> 00:13:59,250
so you don't
have to do it again.
246
00:14:01,450 --> 00:14:04,580
Back at the lab, the
investigation can begin.
247
00:14:04,620 --> 00:14:07,720
The University of Hawai'i
has built a database
248
00:14:07,750 --> 00:14:10,800
of lavas collected
from previous eruptions
249
00:14:10,120 --> 00:14:13,720
and created a high-speed method
of identification.
250
00:14:17,480 --> 00:14:18,880
Crushing samples
from the new flows
251
00:14:18,920 --> 00:14:20,950
into a fine powder
252
00:14:20,980 --> 00:14:24,380
allows an analysis
of their ingredients.
253
00:14:25,380 --> 00:14:28,620
All lava has a fingerprint.
254
00:14:28,650 --> 00:14:31,150
Subtle differences
in chemical composition
255
00:14:31,180 --> 00:14:35,980
allow volcanologists
to determine its origins.
256
00:14:38,980 --> 00:14:41,620
The results are a surprise.
257
00:14:41,650 --> 00:14:46,280
The lava erupting at Leilani
is not the same as the lava
258
00:14:46,320 --> 00:14:50,850
that disappeared from Pu'u 'O'o
and headed down the mountain.
259
00:14:50,880 --> 00:14:55,680
But it is just like lava
that they've seen before.
260
00:14:55,720 --> 00:14:58,420
It was very similar in character
261
00:14:58,450 --> 00:15:00,820
to another eruption
262
00:15:00,850 --> 00:15:03,750
that had happened
in that same area in 1955.
263
00:15:05,580 --> 00:15:07,280
Two fissures,
264
00:15:07,320 --> 00:15:10,520
each about 300 feet long,
emitting lava,
265
00:15:10,550 --> 00:15:14,250
extended from the Pohoiki Road
into field 114.
266
00:15:14,280 --> 00:15:20,500
In 1955, a massive eruption
shook this part of the mountain.
267
00:15:20,800 --> 00:15:21,420
It lasted three months,
268
00:15:21,450 --> 00:15:24,650
with lava gushing
from 24 separate vents.
269
00:15:28,200 --> 00:15:29,250
But evidently,
270
00:15:29,280 --> 00:15:32,820
not all the magma
reached the surface
271
00:15:32,850 --> 00:15:36,350
before the eruptive pressure
dropped.
272
00:15:36,380 --> 00:15:38,850
Cheryl's discovery suggests
273
00:15:38,880 --> 00:15:41,420
that the traveling
Pu'u 'O'o lava
274
00:15:41,450 --> 00:15:45,250
encountered the remnants
of the 1955 eruption,
275
00:15:45,280 --> 00:15:48,320
lying dormant
for more than 60 years,
276
00:15:48,350 --> 00:15:50,350
the pressure from the fresh lava
277
00:15:50,380 --> 00:15:52,580
forcing it to the surface.
278
00:15:52,620 --> 00:15:55,450
Because this old magma
is relatively cool,
279
00:15:55,480 --> 00:15:59,920
on contact with air,
it solidifies quickly.
280
00:15:59,950 --> 00:16:02,950
But the fresh, hot lava
from Pu'u 'O'o
281
00:16:02,980 --> 00:16:06,500
will be far more dynamic
if it reaches the surface.
282
00:16:06,800 --> 00:16:11,180
This eruption isn't over...
It's only just begun.
283
00:16:11,220 --> 00:16:12,373
What everybody was worried about
284
00:16:12,380 --> 00:16:15,720
was when that Pu'u 'O'o lava
made it,
285
00:16:15,750 --> 00:16:17,450
then the eruption scale
would change.
286
00:16:21,350 --> 00:16:22,750
As the Leilani neighborhood
287
00:16:22,780 --> 00:16:25,800
waits to see
what will come next,
288
00:16:25,120 --> 00:16:27,780
alarms are sounding
at the top of the mountain,
289
00:16:27,820 --> 00:16:30,850
where the summit is rumbling.
290
00:16:30,880 --> 00:16:34,250
Since May 2,
the lava here has retreated,
291
00:16:34,280 --> 00:16:37,980
following the Pu'u 'O'o lava
into the depths.
292
00:16:38,200 --> 00:16:42,580
It's dropped 500 feet,
and is still sinking fast.
293
00:16:42,620 --> 00:16:43,980
Without the lava
to support them,
294
00:16:44,200 --> 00:16:47,280
the sides are slowly collapsing,
295
00:16:47,320 --> 00:16:50,850
falling on top
of the descending lava
296
00:16:50,880 --> 00:16:54,850
and generating ominous clouds
of ash and dust.
297
00:16:55,980 --> 00:16:59,720
Just four miles away
lies the small town of Volcano.
298
00:16:59,750 --> 00:17:03,880
Residents Tom Peek
and his wife, Catherine Robins,
299
00:17:03,920 --> 00:17:06,250
are preparing
for what might be coming.
300
00:17:07,420 --> 00:17:09,880
As soon as the ash
starts to fall,
301
00:17:09,920 --> 00:17:11,620
we're tearing this down.
That's a good idea.
302
00:17:12,950 --> 00:17:15,450
They fear not flowing lava,
303
00:17:15,480 --> 00:17:18,120
but a deadly assault
from the skies.
304
00:17:18,150 --> 00:17:22,420
As a former
National Park ranger,
305
00:17:22,450 --> 00:17:25,950
Tom is a keen student
of Kilauea's explosive history.
306
00:17:25,980 --> 00:17:28,550
From all that we understand,
307
00:17:28,580 --> 00:17:31,500
everything is panning out
very similar.
308
00:17:31,800 --> 00:17:34,680
There's some differences
in timeframe,
309
00:17:34,720 --> 00:17:37,820
but there's a very parallel
kind of story developing
310
00:17:37,850 --> 00:17:41,480
as if this will be
a 1924 eruption.
311
00:17:42,680 --> 00:17:46,480
In 1924, the summit of Kilauea
exploded,
312
00:17:46,520 --> 00:17:50,850
propelling searing ash
miles into the heavens
313
00:17:50,880 --> 00:17:54,180
and showering eight-ton rocks
314
00:17:54,220 --> 00:17:56,650
up to half a mile
from the summit.
315
00:17:56,680 --> 00:17:58,650
The explosion
was probably triggered
316
00:17:58,680 --> 00:18:00,720
by a build-up of gas.
317
00:18:02,820 --> 00:18:04,580
When the magma level drops,
318
00:18:04,620 --> 00:18:07,520
falling rubble will eventually
block the narrow feed pipe
319
00:18:07,550 --> 00:18:09,780
like a cork in a bottle.
320
00:18:09,820 --> 00:18:12,280
If the magma drops
below the water table,
321
00:18:12,320 --> 00:18:14,420
steam will form in the gap.
322
00:18:14,450 --> 00:18:16,150
The build-up of pressurized gas
323
00:18:16,180 --> 00:18:18,980
can cause violent explosions,
324
00:18:19,200 --> 00:18:23,750
firing red-hot rock and ash
thousands of feet into the sky.
325
00:18:27,750 --> 00:18:29,720
Our geophysicists
were able to model
326
00:18:29,750 --> 00:18:33,520
at that current rate of
draining of the lava lake,
327
00:18:33,550 --> 00:18:36,420
when the level would pass
what we believed to be
328
00:18:36,450 --> 00:18:39,120
the level of the water table
within the volcano.
329
00:18:39,150 --> 00:18:40,680
So we had projected
the middle of May
330
00:18:40,720 --> 00:18:43,980
as the likely window
for onset of explosions.
331
00:18:45,520 --> 00:18:46,980
While residents near the summit
332
00:18:47,200 --> 00:18:49,580
anxiously wait for Kilauea
to blow her top,
333
00:18:49,620 --> 00:18:50,680
back down the mountain,
334
00:18:50,720 --> 00:18:54,680
the Leilani neighborhood
faces a new threat.
335
00:18:54,720 --> 00:18:57,250
The media broadcast
a dire warning.
336
00:18:57,280 --> 00:19:01,550
Gas so toxic it's
killing trees and grass.
337
00:19:01,580 --> 00:19:03,680
The fire crews
that are out there
338
00:19:03,720 --> 00:19:05,450
have reported
those toxic levels;
339
00:19:05,480 --> 00:19:06,880
it can be fatal.
340
00:19:08,800 --> 00:19:10,680
Despite the lull
in eruptive activity,
341
00:19:10,720 --> 00:19:14,980
the gas is now being detected
all around the neighborhood.
342
00:19:15,200 --> 00:19:17,500
Forced to wear protective
breathing equipment,
343
00:19:17,800 --> 00:19:18,220
volcanologist Sam Mitchell
344
00:19:18,250 --> 00:19:20,650
has gone in to investigate.
345
00:19:22,880 --> 00:19:24,450
Only a few days ago,
346
00:19:24,480 --> 00:19:26,320
this was actively erupting lava.
347
00:19:27,280 --> 00:19:28,513
You can really feel the heat
coming off
348
00:19:28,520 --> 00:19:30,480
of some of these fissures
right here.
349
00:19:30,520 --> 00:19:32,500
It's really something.
350
00:19:32,800 --> 00:19:35,880
The air is filled with steam,
351
00:19:35,920 --> 00:19:39,750
and invisible toxic gas
rises from the cracks.
352
00:19:39,780 --> 00:19:40,920
The giveaway:
353
00:19:40,950 --> 00:19:44,380
yellow mineral deposits
around the fissures...
354
00:19:44,420 --> 00:19:46,480
Sulfur.
355
00:19:46,520 --> 00:19:47,550
As we walk along,
356
00:19:47,580 --> 00:19:49,680
you can actually see
all the sulfur
357
00:19:49,720 --> 00:19:51,880
that is actually crystallizing
out of these gases
358
00:19:51,920 --> 00:19:53,120
in the cracks.
359
00:19:53,150 --> 00:19:56,650
See how intense the color
of these crystals are.
360
00:19:56,680 --> 00:19:58,920
Like, it's precipitating out
pure sulfur here.
361
00:19:59,980 --> 00:20:01,720
The particles of sulfur
362
00:20:01,750 --> 00:20:06,220
indicate that the air
is filled with sulfur dioxide,
363
00:20:06,250 --> 00:20:10,720
bubbling out from the magma
deep below.
364
00:20:10,750 --> 00:20:13,750
In the presence
of moisture and sunlight,
365
00:20:13,780 --> 00:20:17,480
the sulfur dioxide forms vog,
a volcanic smog
366
00:20:17,520 --> 00:20:21,620
containing tiny droplets
of sulfuric acid.
367
00:20:21,650 --> 00:20:24,820
It makes eyes burn,
lungs inflame,
368
00:20:24,850 --> 00:20:27,380
and can even corrode metal.
369
00:20:27,420 --> 00:20:30,880
At high levels,
it can be deadly.
370
00:20:30,920 --> 00:20:33,500
Wow! This is really...
371
00:20:33,800 --> 00:20:36,150
Really, really outgassing
at the moment.
372
00:20:41,220 --> 00:20:43,380
High levels of sulfur dioxide
373
00:20:43,420 --> 00:20:46,580
continue to pump into the air
each day,
374
00:20:46,620 --> 00:20:52,520
a sign that magma is building up
just below the surface.
375
00:20:58,850 --> 00:21:01,800
In another part
of the neighborhood,
376
00:21:01,120 --> 00:21:03,880
the gas
has temporarily dissipated.
377
00:21:03,920 --> 00:21:08,250
Stacy Welch left her house
in a hurry two days ago.
378
00:21:09,980 --> 00:21:11,650
The authorities have given her
a few hours
379
00:21:11,680 --> 00:21:14,620
to enter the danger area
and check on her property.
380
00:21:15,650 --> 00:21:20,980
The vegetation shows the
signs of sulfur poisoning.
381
00:21:21,200 --> 00:21:23,820
All my grass is dead.
382
00:21:23,850 --> 00:21:26,120
It's definitely changed color
383
00:21:26,150 --> 00:21:27,550
since I was here two days ago.
384
00:21:27,580 --> 00:21:31,450
Definitely see a difference
in the landscape and everything.
385
00:21:31,480 --> 00:21:36,120
Fortunately, her house
is still untouched by lava.
386
00:21:36,150 --> 00:21:37,520
Hey, Mom, it's me.
387
00:21:37,550 --> 00:21:39,980
We're okay, we're still safe.
388
00:21:40,200 --> 00:21:42,350
But as she makes her inspection,
389
00:21:42,380 --> 00:21:46,120
there are further indications
that the eruption is not over.
390
00:21:47,680 --> 00:21:50,720
Wow, did you hear that?
391
00:21:50,750 --> 00:21:53,480
I don't know where it's at.
392
00:21:53,520 --> 00:21:56,550
Just... scary.
393
00:21:56,580 --> 00:21:58,150
So scary.
394
00:21:58,180 --> 00:22:00,350
It's time to leave.
395
00:22:00,380 --> 00:22:04,780
Although the fissures here
have been quiet for days,
396
00:22:04,820 --> 00:22:08,280
there are signs
that the lull is over.
397
00:22:08,320 --> 00:22:09,680
I can hear these explosions
398
00:22:09,720 --> 00:22:11,250
happening somewhere here
on the left.
399
00:22:11,280 --> 00:22:15,920
There's something happening
just around the corner here.
400
00:22:15,950 --> 00:22:17,720
You can really see the heat
that's coming off
401
00:22:17,750 --> 00:22:18,773
at the end of the road here.
402
00:22:18,780 --> 00:22:21,500
You can see the heat waves, wow.
403
00:22:21,800 --> 00:22:25,350
I think I can see a red glow
just over there, on the side.
404
00:22:25,380 --> 00:22:26,750
Something's on fire.
405
00:22:26,780 --> 00:22:28,720
Yeah, the vegetation's
caught fire.
406
00:22:28,750 --> 00:22:31,550
So it's likely there's
a small breakout of lava.
407
00:22:33,750 --> 00:22:36,880
This just shows that
these fissures can reopen.
408
00:22:39,500 --> 00:22:40,320
At this stage,
409
00:22:40,350 --> 00:22:43,350
we should be hesitant
of actually getting any closer.
410
00:22:43,380 --> 00:22:45,250
The activity
is really, really picking up.
411
00:22:45,280 --> 00:22:48,720
Streets away, as Stacy
retreats from her property,
412
00:22:48,750 --> 00:22:51,720
she encounters a new flow.
413
00:22:51,750 --> 00:22:54,200
Is that lava?
414
00:22:54,500 --> 00:22:55,920
We were here two hours ago
415
00:22:55,950 --> 00:23:01,200
and it was not this advanced,
so it is really moving now.
416
00:23:02,980 --> 00:23:05,880
I thought it was taillights
when we pulled in.
417
00:23:05,920 --> 00:23:07,920
But that is definitely
not taillights.
418
00:23:07,950 --> 00:23:10,220
That is 100% lava.
419
00:23:10,250 --> 00:23:12,780
This flow is a sign
420
00:23:12,820 --> 00:23:16,150
that the nature of the eruption
is changing.
421
00:23:16,180 --> 00:23:19,280
The fountaining lava
is hotter and moving faster
422
00:23:19,320 --> 00:23:23,180
than the old lava
that erupted a week ago.
423
00:23:23,220 --> 00:23:25,500
This is the fresh lava
from Pu'u 'O'o
424
00:23:25,800 --> 00:23:27,680
that's finally
reached the surface.
425
00:23:27,720 --> 00:23:30,950
This eruption has
just become more dangerous.
426
00:23:32,880 --> 00:23:36,420
At any time, my house could go.
427
00:23:36,450 --> 00:23:38,620
This is... this is unstoppable.
428
00:23:38,650 --> 00:23:41,920
This is... epic.
429
00:23:41,950 --> 00:23:43,680
I'm never gonna
get this close again.
430
00:23:43,720 --> 00:23:45,243
I don't think I ever
want to be this close again.
431
00:23:45,250 --> 00:23:48,120
And this is scary
and we are not safe.
432
00:23:50,580 --> 00:23:53,480
With lava on the move,
there is just one option:
433
00:23:53,520 --> 00:23:57,320
get out of the way.
434
00:23:57,350 --> 00:24:00,500
It's a reality
that's been faced here
435
00:24:00,800 --> 00:24:02,780
since time immemorial.
436
00:24:12,320 --> 00:24:14,820
Ever since the first people
arrived
437
00:24:14,850 --> 00:24:16,380
on these bountiful islands,
438
00:24:16,420 --> 00:24:18,920
a wealth of beliefs and legends
has sprung up
439
00:24:18,950 --> 00:24:23,820
to account for these
devastating natural disasters.
440
00:24:23,850 --> 00:24:28,320
In Hawaiian culture,
Pele, the goddess of fire,
441
00:24:28,350 --> 00:24:30,450
resides within the volcano.
442
00:24:33,720 --> 00:24:36,220
A lot of people have used
the term that she's "upset,"
443
00:24:36,250 --> 00:24:39,420
so she's taking out houses,
and that's why
444
00:24:39,450 --> 00:24:41,150
there's a lot of destruction
and devastation.
445
00:24:41,180 --> 00:24:42,320
She's doing what she does.
446
00:24:42,350 --> 00:24:44,480
We're in her space.
447
00:24:44,520 --> 00:24:48,120
If she takes the house,
she takes the house.
448
00:24:48,150 --> 00:24:50,150
If she decides
to move around the house
449
00:24:50,180 --> 00:24:51,580
and spare the house,
450
00:24:51,620 --> 00:24:54,650
she decides to move around
and spare the house.
451
00:24:54,680 --> 00:24:56,550
But there's temporary permanence
452
00:24:56,580 --> 00:24:59,980
to living within the boundaries
of Pele's domain.
453
00:25:00,200 --> 00:25:03,950
Building a home here
has always been a gamble.
454
00:25:03,980 --> 00:25:07,320
And sometimes,
your luck runs out.
455
00:25:11,420 --> 00:25:15,550
May 17,
two weeks into the eruption.
456
00:25:15,580 --> 00:25:18,980
Just past 4 a.m.,
cameras on the peak
457
00:25:19,200 --> 00:25:21,380
of Kilauea's big sister
Mauna Kea
458
00:25:21,420 --> 00:25:26,450
catch a huge ash cloud bursting
from the summit of Kilauea.
459
00:25:26,480 --> 00:25:27,820
It looks like
the summit explosion
460
00:25:27,850 --> 00:25:30,950
predicted by the scientists.
461
00:25:30,980 --> 00:25:33,580
News media pick up the story.
462
00:25:33,620 --> 00:25:35,780
Stunning images tonight:
463
00:25:35,820 --> 00:25:37,950
that powerful explosion
at the summit of Kilauea
464
00:25:37,980 --> 00:25:40,920
shooting a plume of ash
some 30,000 feet into the air.
465
00:25:40,950 --> 00:25:43,920
It's the first sign
466
00:25:43,950 --> 00:25:46,220
that bigger explosions
might be on the way.
467
00:25:46,250 --> 00:25:51,320
But could it get even worse
than the 1924 event?
468
00:25:51,350 --> 00:25:53,620
As magma exits
the chamber beneath,
469
00:25:53,650 --> 00:25:54,780
heading down the mountain,
470
00:25:54,820 --> 00:25:59,200
the crater above is collapsing
inches per day
471
00:25:59,500 --> 00:26:00,680
in a series of earthquakes.
472
00:26:06,480 --> 00:26:08,500
If the collapse continues,
473
00:26:08,800 --> 00:26:10,850
it could lead
to an even bigger threat.
474
00:26:14,950 --> 00:26:17,680
A pyroclastic surge:
475
00:26:17,720 --> 00:26:21,220
a superheated ash cloud
of vaporized rock and magma
476
00:26:21,250 --> 00:26:23,480
capable of flowing
across the landscape
477
00:26:23,520 --> 00:26:25,150
at hundreds of miles an hour,
478
00:26:25,180 --> 00:26:28,550
obliterating all it touches.
479
00:26:28,580 --> 00:26:30,500
Hundreds of years ago,
480
00:26:30,800 --> 00:26:33,280
a collapse of Kilauea's crater
481
00:26:33,320 --> 00:26:37,620
led to a similar event.
482
00:26:37,650 --> 00:26:40,350
In 1790, there were
quite large surges
483
00:26:40,380 --> 00:26:42,200
of this hot gas and ash
484
00:26:42,500 --> 00:26:43,650
that killed quite a few people.
485
00:26:43,680 --> 00:26:47,220
One of the big concerns was,
if this thing gets too big,
486
00:26:47,250 --> 00:26:50,880
are we going to go
into a pyroclastic phase?
487
00:26:50,920 --> 00:26:56,120
The local residents are
increasingly concerned.
488
00:26:56,150 --> 00:26:59,750
Here's another plume
coming up right now.
489
00:26:59,780 --> 00:27:03,750
It's maybe 7,000 feet high,
maybe eight, I don't know.
490
00:27:03,780 --> 00:27:06,920
But I certainly
did not expect to see
491
00:27:06,950 --> 00:27:09,950
what I've seen pictures of
about 1924,
492
00:27:09,980 --> 00:27:12,280
and I'm certainly hoping
not to experience
493
00:27:12,320 --> 00:27:15,880
what I'd read about from 1790.
494
00:27:15,920 --> 00:27:19,180
The collapse is a worrying sign
495
00:27:19,220 --> 00:27:22,650
that events may be escalating.
496
00:27:24,680 --> 00:27:29,180
Could it be linked
to violent new activity
497
00:27:29,220 --> 00:27:31,620
now occurring down the mountain?
498
00:27:31,650 --> 00:27:35,200
Around Leilani Estates,
the lull is over,
499
00:27:35,500 --> 00:27:39,120
but the focus of eruptive
activity has moved east.
500
00:27:39,150 --> 00:27:41,220
Two new fissures have opened.
501
00:27:41,250 --> 00:27:46,500
One of them, fissure 17,
is pumping out exploding lava.
502
00:27:50,150 --> 00:27:53,150
Shooting huge chunks,
some as heavy as a refrigerator,
503
00:27:53,180 --> 00:27:55,850
hundreds of feet in the air.
504
00:27:55,880 --> 00:27:58,150
These lava bombs are responsible
505
00:27:58,180 --> 00:28:01,580
for the eruption's
first casualty.
506
00:28:01,620 --> 00:28:05,550
The media report on a resident
507
00:28:05,580 --> 00:28:07,350
struck by a bowling ball-sized
lava bomb
508
00:28:07,380 --> 00:28:10,250
that nearly sheared his leg
in half.
509
00:28:10,280 --> 00:28:15,120
The most forceful impact
I've ever had in my body
510
00:28:15,150 --> 00:28:16,420
in my life.
511
00:28:16,450 --> 00:28:20,520
So is this a sign
512
00:28:20,550 --> 00:28:22,580
that a new type
of explosive magma
513
00:28:22,620 --> 00:28:24,680
is building up under Kilauea?
514
00:28:24,720 --> 00:28:31,200
Cheryl's lab quickly
analyzes fissure 17 lava.
515
00:28:31,500 --> 00:28:33,280
They find it has
an unusual consistency.
516
00:28:33,320 --> 00:28:37,450
Most Hawaiian lava
is as runny as ketchup.
517
00:28:37,480 --> 00:28:41,200
It rarely holds on
to much magmatic gas.
518
00:28:41,500 --> 00:28:45,200
The gas bubbles in Hawaiian
magma can rise freely,
519
00:28:45,500 --> 00:28:46,573
and they just basically,
just burst at the surface
520
00:28:46,580 --> 00:28:49,950
and release the gas.
521
00:28:52,800 --> 00:28:56,980
But fissure 17 lava
is rich in silica,
522
00:28:57,200 --> 00:28:59,500
the main ingredient
in common sand.
523
00:28:59,800 --> 00:29:00,680
The silica thickens the lava
524
00:29:00,720 --> 00:29:03,720
to the consistency
of peanut butter.
525
00:29:03,750 --> 00:29:06,120
The stiffer your magma,
the more viscous it is.
526
00:29:06,150 --> 00:29:08,850
So when gas bubbles
are trying to escape,
527
00:29:08,880 --> 00:29:10,180
they can't expand very well,
528
00:29:10,220 --> 00:29:12,350
and they tend to build up
a lot of pressure
529
00:29:12,380 --> 00:29:13,480
and then explode.
530
00:29:18,480 --> 00:29:20,950
Most volcanoes around the world
531
00:29:20,980 --> 00:29:23,150
are fed by silica-rich magma,
532
00:29:23,180 --> 00:29:25,750
explaining the prevalence
of explosive eruptions.
533
00:29:25,780 --> 00:29:28,980
If magma this thick
were to build up
534
00:29:29,200 --> 00:29:30,850
beneath Kilauea's summit,
535
00:29:30,880 --> 00:29:33,350
a major explosion
could be in the cards.
536
00:29:33,380 --> 00:29:36,650
But Cheryl's team
have found chemical evidence
537
00:29:36,680 --> 00:29:40,580
that the fissure 17 lava is not
fresh from the summit at all.
538
00:29:40,620 --> 00:29:43,200
It seems to come
from another hidden remnant
539
00:29:43,500 --> 00:29:46,850
of extremely old magma
from a previous eruption,
540
00:29:46,880 --> 00:29:49,620
even older
than the 1955-type magma
541
00:29:49,650 --> 00:29:53,880
originally encountered
under Leilani Estates.
542
00:29:53,920 --> 00:29:57,500
The chemistry
was extremely evolved,
543
00:29:57,800 --> 00:29:59,550
meaning that it had been
stored longer
544
00:29:59,580 --> 00:30:02,520
than anything we'd ever seen
erupt on Kilauea.
545
00:30:07,180 --> 00:30:09,720
The longer a magma is stored,
546
00:30:09,750 --> 00:30:13,750
chemical changes increase
the concentration of silica.
547
00:30:13,780 --> 00:30:16,220
Fissure 17's lava is explosive,
548
00:30:16,250 --> 00:30:19,720
but it's tied
to a small, isolated pocket
549
00:30:19,750 --> 00:30:21,150
of thickened magma.
550
00:30:21,180 --> 00:30:24,280
This discovery indicates
that the explosive lava
551
00:30:24,320 --> 00:30:27,800
is unrelated
to the events at the summit.
552
00:30:27,120 --> 00:30:29,800
And for now,
the collapse of the crater
553
00:30:29,120 --> 00:30:32,580
is not great enough to trigger
a pyroclastic eruption.
554
00:30:34,720 --> 00:30:37,800
But the ground
continues to shake,
555
00:30:37,120 --> 00:30:39,580
and the summit
is still subsiding
556
00:30:39,620 --> 00:30:42,320
as more and more magma
exits the chamber beneath,
557
00:30:42,350 --> 00:30:47,420
heading for the open fissures.
558
00:30:47,450 --> 00:30:49,350
Down the mountain,
559
00:30:49,380 --> 00:30:52,380
the thick silica-rich lava
of fissure 17
560
00:30:52,420 --> 00:30:55,180
is starting to congeal.
561
00:30:55,220 --> 00:30:57,480
But as pressure
from the summit continues,
562
00:30:57,520 --> 00:31:00,320
forceful new fissure
are opening behind it,
563
00:31:00,350 --> 00:31:04,820
generating new flows
heading in many directions.
564
00:31:04,850 --> 00:31:09,200
Understanding where
the lava was going
565
00:31:09,500 --> 00:31:10,620
was absolutely critical
566
00:31:10,650 --> 00:31:12,880
to providing
situational awareness
567
00:31:12,920 --> 00:31:13,980
for the civil authorities
568
00:31:14,200 --> 00:31:15,367
and issuing public warnings
in time.
569
00:31:15,380 --> 00:31:18,200
With multiple fissures erupting,
this was a challenge.
570
00:31:18,500 --> 00:31:20,780
Luckily, the authorities
571
00:31:20,820 --> 00:31:24,850
can call on some
state-of-the-art technology.
572
00:31:24,880 --> 00:31:28,280
We were requested
to help participate
573
00:31:28,320 --> 00:31:30,580
by Hawai'i County Civil Defense.
574
00:31:30,620 --> 00:31:32,480
And so we said, "Of course,
whatever we can do."
575
00:31:34,480 --> 00:31:38,380
Ryan Perroy's team
from the University of Hawai'i
576
00:31:38,420 --> 00:31:39,850
has been experimenting
with drones
577
00:31:39,880 --> 00:31:42,420
to track lava flows.
578
00:31:42,450 --> 00:31:46,620
Now their expertise
will prove vital.
579
00:31:46,650 --> 00:31:51,580
By returning repeatedly
580
00:31:51,620 --> 00:31:54,780
to a GPS-determined fixed point
above the lava's edge,
581
00:31:54,820 --> 00:31:56,980
the drones accurately plot
582
00:31:57,200 --> 00:32:00,480
precisely how fast
a flow is advancing.
583
00:32:00,520 --> 00:32:02,920
And unlike helicopters,
584
00:32:02,950 --> 00:32:05,200
drones can safely operate
day and night.
585
00:32:06,880 --> 00:32:11,220
It's critically important
586
00:32:11,250 --> 00:32:13,143
to be able to monitor the flows
on a 24-hour basis,
587
00:32:13,150 --> 00:32:15,650
because even if everybody's
asleep, you know,
588
00:32:15,680 --> 00:32:17,180
the lava's going
to potentially advance.
589
00:32:17,220 --> 00:32:21,500
Using thermal cameras,
they can register
590
00:32:21,800 --> 00:32:24,520
the heat signatures
of hidden subterranean cracks,
591
00:32:24,550 --> 00:32:30,820
helping to forewarn which ones
may evolve into new fissures.
592
00:32:30,850 --> 00:32:33,880
And they can help determine
which parts of a flow
593
00:32:33,920 --> 00:32:37,320
may lead the next advance.
594
00:32:37,350 --> 00:32:40,550
We've got areas down here
which have cooled off.
595
00:32:40,580 --> 00:32:41,880
These are probably
not the places
596
00:32:41,920 --> 00:32:43,850
where you're going to expect
to have new breakouts.
597
00:32:43,880 --> 00:32:45,980
You're going to see them
here and here.
598
00:32:47,180 --> 00:32:49,800
Drone predictions become vital
599
00:32:49,120 --> 00:32:51,550
to the emergency services,
600
00:32:51,580 --> 00:32:53,980
who are able to clear everyone
601
00:32:54,200 --> 00:32:59,380
safely out of the paths
of the multiple advancing flows.
602
00:32:59,420 --> 00:33:00,613
But though tracking
its short-term movements
603
00:33:00,620 --> 00:33:03,750
can be complicated,
if it keeps flowing,
604
00:33:03,780 --> 00:33:08,450
a red-hot lava river
will always head downhill.
605
00:33:09,450 --> 00:33:11,750
Over three days,
the new flows make their way
606
00:33:11,780 --> 00:33:13,780
down to the ocean.
607
00:33:13,820 --> 00:33:16,920
But even as they arrive,
their power wanes.
608
00:33:16,950 --> 00:33:19,420
The pressure of magma
coming down the mountain
609
00:33:19,450 --> 00:33:22,350
is now reinvigorating
old fissures,
610
00:33:22,380 --> 00:33:26,280
moving the center of activity
back to Leilani Estates.
611
00:33:29,150 --> 00:33:33,280
Lava is gushing
faster than ever before,
612
00:33:33,320 --> 00:33:34,780
and pooling
within the hardened banks
613
00:33:34,820 --> 00:33:37,850
created by the earlier flows.
614
00:33:37,880 --> 00:33:42,220
Levels are rising by the
hour, as lava pumps out
615
00:33:42,250 --> 00:33:46,220
at over 40 cubic feet
per second.
616
00:33:46,250 --> 00:33:48,180
Those rates
of eruptive activity,
617
00:33:48,220 --> 00:33:49,280
rates of lava flux,
618
00:33:49,320 --> 00:33:51,920
really had not been seen
at Kilauea before.
619
00:33:51,950 --> 00:33:54,180
If it was able to sort of
overflow those banks,
620
00:33:54,220 --> 00:33:55,420
then all bets are off
621
00:33:55,450 --> 00:33:57,550
in terms of where
it's going to cover next.
622
00:33:57,580 --> 00:34:00,980
Residents who thought
they'd escaped the worst
623
00:34:01,200 --> 00:34:03,200
are about to be hit again.
624
00:34:05,850 --> 00:34:08,820
It was just building up
and building up
625
00:34:08,850 --> 00:34:15,200
till surface tension
gave and it spilled over.
626
00:34:21,780 --> 00:34:27,320
This is insane.
627
00:34:27,350 --> 00:34:29,620
Lava's moving,
628
00:34:29,650 --> 00:34:34,780
encroaching at the rate
of one property a minute.
629
00:34:34,820 --> 00:34:37,650
Very quickly, it became
of a scale and magnitude
630
00:34:37,680 --> 00:34:39,320
greater than what
we were able to handle.
631
00:34:42,350 --> 00:34:47,150
The authorities scramble
to warn nearby residents,
632
00:34:47,180 --> 00:34:51,850
while drones keep an eye
on the advancing lava.
633
00:34:53,250 --> 00:34:57,250
Watching live drone footage
at Civil Defense Headquarters,
634
00:34:57,280 --> 00:34:58,627
Bill Hanson
suddenly spots something
635
00:34:58,650 --> 00:35:00,820
in the depths of the forest.
636
00:35:03,650 --> 00:35:04,720
The lights were flashing.
637
00:35:04,750 --> 00:35:05,920
And I looked at it,
638
00:35:05,950 --> 00:35:07,313
and I said, "Guys, do you know
what he's doing?"
639
00:35:07,320 --> 00:35:09,980
He's flashing S.O.S."
640
00:35:10,200 --> 00:35:12,180
Forced to abandon his car,
641
00:35:12,220 --> 00:35:15,750
a resident has
become disoriented,
642
00:35:15,780 --> 00:35:20,150
his cell phone his only link
to his rescuers.
643
00:35:20,180 --> 00:35:24,650
A 911 operator patches him in
to the Civil Defense team,
644
00:35:24,680 --> 00:35:26,520
who summon the drone to his aid.
645
00:35:26,550 --> 00:35:29,200
And so we told him,
"Can you see the drone?"
646
00:35:29,500 --> 00:35:30,450
He goes, "Yes,
I can see the drone."
647
00:35:30,480 --> 00:35:33,420
And we said, "Please
follow the drone out..."
648
00:35:33,450 --> 00:35:35,220
The drone will lead you
to safety."
649
00:35:35,250 --> 00:35:37,820
Assisted by the flying beacon,
650
00:35:37,850 --> 00:35:41,150
the man is able to find his way
out of the forest,
651
00:35:41,180 --> 00:35:44,180
and make contact
with the rescue team.
652
00:35:44,220 --> 00:35:45,850
And everybody was, of course,
elated
653
00:35:45,880 --> 00:35:48,420
that we were able
to work technology
654
00:35:48,450 --> 00:35:51,200
into saving a life.
655
00:35:51,500 --> 00:35:53,420
That was a really special story
656
00:35:53,450 --> 00:35:58,120
that we were proud
to be part of.
657
00:35:59,480 --> 00:36:03,520
The eruption has now entered
a new phase.
658
00:36:03,550 --> 00:36:06,280
From this point on,
one fissure starts to dominate...
659
00:36:06,320 --> 00:36:07,750
Fissure eight.
660
00:36:07,780 --> 00:36:10,880
Its flow rate is so great
661
00:36:10,920 --> 00:36:13,620
that the spatter
forms an immense cone...
662
00:36:18,450 --> 00:36:20,280
...as it pumps out
663
00:36:20,320 --> 00:36:22,580
over 3,000 cubic feet of lava
per second...
664
00:36:29,120 --> 00:36:33,220
...forming a vast river
hundreds of yards across.
665
00:36:33,250 --> 00:36:41,250
It is an awe-inspiring thing
666
00:36:42,500 --> 00:36:45,280
to watch these flows
and watch them evolve
667
00:36:45,320 --> 00:36:46,720
and change over time,
668
00:36:46,750 --> 00:36:52,320
and to see these immense
channels and rivers of lava
669
00:36:52,350 --> 00:36:54,720
just passing underneath you.
670
00:36:54,750 --> 00:36:59,680
It is a very
humbling experience.
671
00:37:08,420 --> 00:37:13,120
The new flow powers forward
for miles and miles.
672
00:37:18,150 --> 00:37:20,950
It's now clear
the effects of this eruption
673
00:37:20,980 --> 00:37:24,650
will be widespread
and long-lasting.
674
00:37:24,680 --> 00:37:29,250
Countless more acres
will be poisoned
675
00:37:29,280 --> 00:37:33,620
or buried
under a red-hot blanket.
676
00:37:33,650 --> 00:37:36,520
But for the Hawaiian ecosystem,
this is not the calamity
677
00:37:36,550 --> 00:37:39,320
that it first appears.
678
00:37:39,350 --> 00:37:41,850
The wave of destruction
may ultimately generate
679
00:37:41,880 --> 00:37:44,720
the seeds of life.
680
00:37:49,720 --> 00:37:52,250
Rick Hazlett,
from the University of Hawai'i,
681
00:37:52,280 --> 00:37:54,920
is investigating a cave
hidden in the rainforest.
682
00:37:56,750 --> 00:38:01,200
A gateway to
the Hawaiian underworld,
683
00:38:01,500 --> 00:38:06,500
revealing subterranean secrets
about the island's formation.
684
00:38:07,820 --> 00:38:09,880
To enter one of these caves
685
00:38:09,920 --> 00:38:14,500
is like seeing
the inside of an eruption.
686
00:38:14,800 --> 00:38:21,500
This is a lava tube.
687
00:38:28,950 --> 00:38:32,320
Countless numbers of these
huge subterranean tubes
688
00:38:32,350 --> 00:38:35,200
crisscross Hawai'i.
689
00:38:36,120 --> 00:38:39,950
Some, like this one,
can be over 30 miles long.
690
00:38:41,920 --> 00:38:45,450
They are the remains
of lava flows
691
00:38:45,480 --> 00:38:48,500
that hardened on the outside,
692
00:38:48,800 --> 00:38:49,620
but stayed liquid on the inside,
693
00:38:49,650 --> 00:38:53,120
continuing to flow
for months or years
694
00:38:53,150 --> 00:38:55,920
until they ran out of lava.
695
00:38:55,950 --> 00:38:58,950
So like a dam
or a reservoir draining,
696
00:38:58,980 --> 00:39:03,220
the lava emptied this passageway
and exposed the cave
697
00:39:03,250 --> 00:39:06,380
that we can enjoy
and explore today.
698
00:39:08,920 --> 00:39:10,850
You don't see lava tubes
699
00:39:10,880 --> 00:39:12,750
in many places around the world.
700
00:39:12,780 --> 00:39:16,320
Unusually hot lava is needed
to maintain tunnels
701
00:39:16,350 --> 00:39:20,180
that can extend
such great distances.
702
00:39:22,750 --> 00:39:25,380
But Hawaiian volcanoes cook up
some of the hottest lava
703
00:39:25,420 --> 00:39:27,480
on Earth,
704
00:39:27,520 --> 00:39:32,620
over 200 degrees hotter
than most other volcanoes.
705
00:39:32,650 --> 00:39:36,680
So Hawaiian flows
can spread the lava
706
00:39:36,720 --> 00:39:38,650
far and wide.
707
00:39:38,680 --> 00:39:40,320
They're landscape builders.
708
00:39:40,350 --> 00:39:43,800
They're like a metro system
delivering passengers
709
00:39:43,120 --> 00:39:44,750
here and there.
710
00:39:44,780 --> 00:39:46,950
In this case, the delivery
is molten lava,
711
00:39:46,980 --> 00:39:51,520
and the product is a new
landscape, a larger island.
712
00:39:54,200 --> 00:39:58,520
Lava flows aren't
a curse upon Hawai'i.
713
00:39:58,550 --> 00:40:01,380
They are Hawai'i.
714
00:40:01,420 --> 00:40:04,150
Essentially,
100% of the landscape
715
00:40:04,180 --> 00:40:05,480
that you view in Hawai'i
716
00:40:05,520 --> 00:40:09,200
is made up of lava flows
piled one on top of the other
717
00:40:09,500 --> 00:40:12,150
to build these volcanoes
in the sea.
718
00:40:12,180 --> 00:40:15,520
And it turns out
719
00:40:15,550 --> 00:40:19,800
that this hardened lava
is rich in nutrient chemicals.
720
00:40:19,120 --> 00:40:21,850
As the lava breaks down,
721
00:40:21,880 --> 00:40:27,150
it produces some of the most
fertile soils on the planet.
722
00:40:30,680 --> 00:40:35,650
From the ashes of destruction,
tomorrow's forests will be born.
723
00:40:42,380 --> 00:40:46,200
And there's another distinctive
feature of Hawai'i's volcanoes...
724
00:40:46,500 --> 00:40:48,750
Their sheer size.
725
00:40:51,780 --> 00:40:55,220
Take away the ocean,
and they are revealed to be
726
00:40:55,250 --> 00:40:58,200
the highest mountains on Earth.
727
00:40:58,500 --> 00:41:02,220
At over 30,000 feet,
Kilauea's neighbors,
728
00:41:02,250 --> 00:41:03,580
Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa,
729
00:41:03,620 --> 00:41:05,920
put even Everest in the shade,
730
00:41:05,950 --> 00:41:11,820
all built by a powerful
and persistent supply of magma.
731
00:41:11,850 --> 00:41:13,843
Hawaiian volcanoes are maybe
the most productive volcanoes
732
00:41:13,850 --> 00:41:14,850
on Earth.
733
00:41:14,880 --> 00:41:17,850
They erupt very frequently,
734
00:41:17,880 --> 00:41:21,120
and just keep piling on
more and more and more.
735
00:41:21,150 --> 00:41:23,380
So what is so special
about Hawai'i
736
00:41:23,420 --> 00:41:26,420
that it can supply
such an abundance
737
00:41:26,450 --> 00:41:31,920
of extra-hot magma
to its volcanoes?
738
00:41:33,350 --> 00:41:35,620
Kilauea is situated
on the southeast end
739
00:41:35,650 --> 00:41:38,580
of the island chain.
740
00:41:38,620 --> 00:41:42,480
As you move northwest, the
volcanoes become less active,
741
00:41:42,520 --> 00:41:45,350
and the lava flows more ancient.
742
00:41:45,380 --> 00:41:48,620
It's a sign that
the Hawaiian chain may be formed
743
00:41:48,650 --> 00:41:52,950
by a powerful force from the
depths... a subterranean hotspot.
744
00:41:56,420 --> 00:42:00,180
Hotspots are generated
by plumes of hot, softened rock,
745
00:42:00,220 --> 00:42:03,850
rising up
from deep in the mantle.
746
00:42:03,880 --> 00:42:06,580
When they contact
the Earth's crustal plate,
747
00:42:06,620 --> 00:42:10,420
the magma infiltrates
the solid rock.
748
00:42:10,450 --> 00:42:11,520
Over millions of years,
749
00:42:11,550 --> 00:42:14,480
as the plate
passes over the hotspot,
750
00:42:14,520 --> 00:42:17,420
a chain of islands is created.
751
00:42:17,450 --> 00:42:20,320
The plume hypothesis can explain
752
00:42:20,350 --> 00:42:23,880
why Hawai'i's lava is so hot
and so abundant.
753
00:42:23,920 --> 00:42:27,880
And why these islands grow
at such an impressive rate.
754
00:42:27,920 --> 00:42:32,780
In 2018, this growth
is on stark display.
755
00:42:32,820 --> 00:42:36,180
In the first week of June,
the main flow from fissure eight
756
00:42:36,220 --> 00:42:38,280
advances
through residential areas.
757
00:42:38,320 --> 00:42:41,200
Hundreds more islanders
are forced to evacuate
758
00:42:41,500 --> 00:42:43,880
as it makes its way
to the ocean.
759
00:42:43,920 --> 00:42:47,380
This time, when it hits,
760
00:42:47,420 --> 00:42:49,950
the flow shows no sign
of dying down.
761
00:42:49,980 --> 00:42:55,450
Wherever the front of
the flow meets the ocean,
762
00:42:55,480 --> 00:42:56,850
there is an explosive reaction.
763
00:43:00,250 --> 00:43:03,550
Sending lava bombs
hundreds of feet into the air.
764
00:43:07,480 --> 00:43:10,420
On July 16,
a boatload of tourists
765
00:43:10,450 --> 00:43:11,681
get more than they bargained for
766
00:43:11,720 --> 00:43:15,480
when they get too close
to an explosive front line.
767
00:43:21,980 --> 00:43:26,920
They are lucky to survive
relatively unscathed...
768
00:43:26,950 --> 00:43:30,350
A few nasty burns
and one broken leg.
769
00:43:31,380 --> 00:43:34,220
From the violent clash
between ocean and lava,
770
00:43:34,250 --> 00:43:38,380
new land is born.
771
00:43:38,420 --> 00:43:41,500
Coastal waters
have been pushed away,
772
00:43:41,800 --> 00:43:44,420
replaced by a lava delta
with an area equivalent
773
00:43:44,450 --> 00:43:47,420
to nearly 700 football fields.
774
00:43:49,500 --> 00:43:53,800
As long as the volcanoes
stay active,
775
00:43:53,120 --> 00:43:57,350
this island will continue
to grow.
776
00:43:57,380 --> 00:44:00,680
But while volcanic eruptions
are busy building up Hawai'i,
777
00:44:00,720 --> 00:44:06,380
other processes are busy
bringing her down.
778
00:44:06,420 --> 00:44:09,950
Her first enemy
is the tropical climate.
779
00:44:18,150 --> 00:44:26,150
Hawai'i is the wettest
state in the U.S.A.,
780
00:44:27,800 --> 00:44:30,720
drenched by an average
781
00:44:30,750 --> 00:44:34,500
of over five feet of rain
each year.
782
00:44:34,800 --> 00:44:37,520
This deluge results from the
combination of high mountains
783
00:44:37,550 --> 00:44:40,920
and an enormous ocean.
784
00:44:40,950 --> 00:44:46,180
Moist air coming off the sea
hits the land, rising, cooling,
785
00:44:46,220 --> 00:44:49,800
and releasing downpours
786
00:44:49,120 --> 00:44:52,680
that begin a process
of quiet destruction.
787
00:44:54,220 --> 00:44:59,980
Volcanic basalt is a porous rock
788
00:45:00,200 --> 00:45:02,450
highly susceptible
to the elements.
789
00:45:06,750 --> 00:45:10,450
Rock such as this,
the basalt that erupts
790
00:45:10,480 --> 00:45:12,820
and builds these volcanoes
in Hawai'i,
791
00:45:12,850 --> 00:45:14,920
is especially prone
to weathering
792
00:45:14,950 --> 00:45:16,420
in Earth's atmosphere.
793
00:45:16,450 --> 00:45:19,350
Compared to other rock types,
like granite,
794
00:45:19,380 --> 00:45:23,620
rocks like this,
exposed to moisture
795
00:45:23,650 --> 00:45:26,320
for very long periods of time
in this warm climate,
796
00:45:26,350 --> 00:45:29,200
will slowly dissolve.
797
00:45:29,500 --> 00:45:31,280
You have to think
of the Hawaiian Islands
798
00:45:31,320 --> 00:45:35,200
as being temporary
geographical features.
799
00:45:38,220 --> 00:45:40,120
The islands are fragile.
800
00:45:40,150 --> 00:45:42,950
Weathering, erosion,
and massive landslides
801
00:45:42,980 --> 00:45:47,500
mean they are continuously
crumbling away.
802
00:45:47,800 --> 00:45:48,780
But more importantly,
803
00:45:48,820 --> 00:45:51,500
as the islands drift away
from the hotspot,
804
00:45:51,800 --> 00:45:53,750
the cooling plate descends,
805
00:45:53,780 --> 00:45:56,380
drawing them slowly
beneath the ocean.
806
00:45:56,420 --> 00:45:59,450
It's been happening
for millions of years.
807
00:46:02,720 --> 00:46:06,500
To the northwest
lies the Emperor Seamount chain,
808
00:46:06,800 --> 00:46:08,650
stretching thousands of miles...
809
00:46:08,680 --> 00:46:11,680
Relics of previous generations
of Hawaiian islands,
810
00:46:11,720 --> 00:46:16,450
now submerged shadows
of their former glory.
811
00:46:18,720 --> 00:46:23,750
In 2018, another island remnant
disappeared beneath the waves,
812
00:46:23,780 --> 00:46:29,180
the last sands of East Island
swallowed by the sea.
813
00:46:32,280 --> 00:46:35,620
So is the Hawaiian archipelago
doomed to disappear?
814
00:46:38,180 --> 00:46:41,550
There's new activity just to the
southeast of the Big Island.
815
00:46:43,920 --> 00:46:47,150
It's attracted SS Nautilus,
a research vessel.
816
00:46:47,180 --> 00:46:51,120
From here, oceanographers
are guiding a submersible
817
00:46:51,150 --> 00:46:53,120
down into the depths.
818
00:46:53,150 --> 00:46:56,180
We're working down
about a mile underwater.
819
00:46:56,220 --> 00:46:58,650
It's very dark there...
It's perpetually dark there.
820
00:46:58,680 --> 00:47:03,680
The submersible
has reached its target.
821
00:47:03,720 --> 00:47:05,750
It's time to light up the scene.
822
00:47:14,420 --> 00:47:17,850
The steepness of it
is so remarkable...
823
00:47:17,880 --> 00:47:19,273
Look how that drops away
down the other side.
824
00:47:19,280 --> 00:47:20,980
It's incredible.
825
00:47:21,200 --> 00:47:22,380
It's brutal.
826
00:47:22,420 --> 00:47:26,320
The team find
what they are looking for...
827
00:47:26,350 --> 00:47:29,480
A hydrothermal vent.
828
00:47:29,520 --> 00:47:31,620
What's very exciting
829
00:47:31,650 --> 00:47:33,820
is that right now, it is active,
830
00:47:33,850 --> 00:47:37,120
and there is hot water that's
venting from certain regions.
831
00:47:37,150 --> 00:47:42,720
The water around the vent
is close to boiling point.
832
00:47:42,750 --> 00:47:45,220
It's hot
because this piece of land
833
00:47:45,250 --> 00:47:48,280
is the summit of Lo'ihi,
834
00:47:48,320 --> 00:47:52,220
an active volcano
submerged beneath the ocean,
835
00:47:52,250 --> 00:47:56,380
created by the same
geological hotspot
836
00:47:56,420 --> 00:47:59,120
driving the eruptions
on the island above.
837
00:47:59,150 --> 00:48:04,480
Lo'ihi is over two miles high,
and growing inches per year.
838
00:48:04,520 --> 00:48:09,320
This is something which will
progress on its own time.
839
00:48:09,350 --> 00:48:11,720
We're going to have to wait
hundreds of thousands of years,
840
00:48:11,750 --> 00:48:14,180
would be my guess, or at least
tens of thousands of years,
841
00:48:14,220 --> 00:48:17,380
before we see anything
that'll breach the surface.
842
00:48:17,420 --> 00:48:21,200
Lo'ihi will likely
form the next island
843
00:48:21,500 --> 00:48:24,200
in the Hawaiian archipelago...
844
00:48:25,750 --> 00:48:30,800
...proof that as old islands
sink beneath the sea,
845
00:48:30,120 --> 00:48:33,720
new islands will rise
to replace them.
846
00:48:33,750 --> 00:48:36,120
Hawai'i will survive.
847
00:48:43,750 --> 00:48:50,520
It's weeks later, early October,
and Leilani Estates is quiet.
848
00:48:50,550 --> 00:48:53,120
The 100-foot cone
of fissure eight,
849
00:48:53,150 --> 00:48:57,420
the center of so much
activity, lies dormant.
850
00:48:57,450 --> 00:49:01,750
For over a month,
the scientists have detected
851
00:49:01,780 --> 00:49:05,650
little eruptive activity
anywhere on the volcano.
852
00:49:05,680 --> 00:49:07,820
There is no molten lava
853
00:49:07,850 --> 00:49:11,450
in this area at the surface.
854
00:49:11,480 --> 00:49:15,250
There is no molten lava
anywhere on Kilauea volcano.
855
00:49:15,280 --> 00:49:19,680
For the Leilani eruption,
it's over.
856
00:49:19,720 --> 00:49:23,750
This eruption lasted
over three months,
857
00:49:23,780 --> 00:49:27,180
producing enough lava
to bury the whole of Manhattan
858
00:49:27,220 --> 00:49:30,250
nearly 30 feet deep.
859
00:49:30,280 --> 00:49:33,200
It covered
nearly 14 square miles,
860
00:49:33,500 --> 00:49:37,520
and built 875 acres of new land
in the ocean.
861
00:49:43,520 --> 00:49:45,580
At the top of the mountain,
862
00:49:45,620 --> 00:49:48,820
the dreaded summit eruption
never materialized.
863
00:49:48,850 --> 00:49:51,420
But the draining
of the magma chamber
864
00:49:51,450 --> 00:49:54,350
led to an epic
slow-motion collapse.
865
00:49:59,150 --> 00:50:02,520
The crater is now
15 times larger,
866
00:50:02,550 --> 00:50:07,250
and deeper than the
Empire State Building is high.
867
00:50:09,720 --> 00:50:12,450
Those who chose to live
on the slopes of Kilauea
868
00:50:12,480 --> 00:50:14,800
are counting the cost
869
00:50:14,120 --> 00:50:18,350
of their high-stakes bargain
with paradise.
870
00:50:18,380 --> 00:50:22,780
Over 700 properties
were swallowed by the lava.
871
00:50:22,820 --> 00:50:27,950
Stacy Welch is
one of the lucky ones.
872
00:50:27,980 --> 00:50:30,350
Her house is still standing.
873
00:50:30,380 --> 00:50:32,250
I'm still in shock.
874
00:50:32,280 --> 00:50:38,420
It's just the power of nature...
It's unbelievable.
875
00:50:38,450 --> 00:50:40,850
That's incredible to me,
876
00:50:40,880 --> 00:50:44,580
to have something just come
and wipe everything out
877
00:50:44,620 --> 00:50:47,850
when there were 700 homes there,
and now there's nothing.
878
00:50:47,880 --> 00:50:51,220
There are no words sometimes.
879
00:50:51,250 --> 00:50:54,980
The healing from this is,
it's going to be lifelong.
880
00:50:55,200 --> 00:50:57,620
It makes all your other problems
look really small
881
00:50:57,650 --> 00:50:58,920
when you're dealing with lava.
882
00:50:58,950 --> 00:51:01,920
I would not have wanted
to miss it,
883
00:51:01,950 --> 00:51:04,250
but I don't want it
to happen again.
884
00:51:07,920 --> 00:51:12,200
You know, we all know
that there's a possibility
885
00:51:12,500 --> 00:51:13,580
that we may not have a house
tomorrow.
886
00:51:15,820 --> 00:51:21,800
But if we can live with her,
if we do what we need to do
887
00:51:21,120 --> 00:51:24,500
in taking care of our land,
888
00:51:24,800 --> 00:51:26,620
that's the ideal of what I think
is being Hawaiian.
889
00:51:32,350 --> 00:51:37,520
In 2018, Kilauea proved
her destructive potential.
890
00:51:37,550 --> 00:51:42,380
But if science tells us
anything, she isn't done yet.
891
00:51:42,420 --> 00:51:45,380
Scientists are confident
that someday,
892
00:51:45,420 --> 00:51:47,480
in the not-too-distant future,
893
00:51:47,520 --> 00:51:50,980
the lava will return.
894
00:51:51,200 --> 00:51:53,143
Even though there may not be
lava moving across the surface,
895
00:51:53,150 --> 00:51:56,120
HVO is still on guard
and being vigilant
896
00:51:56,150 --> 00:51:57,220
and watching the activity,
897
00:51:57,250 --> 00:51:59,550
looking for changes
that might mean
898
00:51:59,580 --> 00:52:02,450
that more dangerous activity
is coming.
899
00:52:02,480 --> 00:52:04,380
This is a very active volcano,
900
00:52:04,420 --> 00:52:07,320
and it will erupt again.
901
00:52:16,780 --> 00:52:19,320
Major funding for "NOVA"
is provided by the following:
902
00:52:52,750 --> 00:52:55,500
To order this "NOVA" program
on DVD,
903
00:52:55,800 --> 00:53:00,150
visit ShopPBS
or call 1-800-PLAY-PBS.
904
00:53:00,180 --> 00:53:05,620
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on Amazon Prime Video.
66015
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