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Since the beginning of May, the Hawaiian volcano Kilauea has been spitting rivers of lava. When it reaches the ocean, the molten rock reacts with the water and causes particularly violent vapor explosions, which project real "lava bombs". A dangerous phenomenon that the pbadengers of a pleasure boat suffered at the beginning of the week
For weeks that he keeps spitting, ton after ton, his molten lava. Since the beginning of May, the Kilauea volcano has awakened, pushing the Hawaiian authorities to organize the evacuation of an area populated by nearly 10,000 inhabitants. A precautionary measure that did not prevent an accident
The event occurred on July 16, not on land, but at sea. boat tour, tourists were surprised by the fall of a "lava bomb". Summary of the accident: 23 wounded, including 13 people were hospitalized. The other 10 slightly injured tourists were treated on their return to Wailoa Harbor.
" Among the wounded, four people were transported by ambulance, one of which, [âgée d’une vingtaine d’années] seriously injured, victim of a fractured femur " in a statement issued by Hawaiian officials. According to local firefighters, quoted by the Reuters news agency, " the lava bomb would have landed on the roof of the boat, would have pierced it, and would have fallen into the space occupied by the seats"
When water and fire meet …
The "lava bomb" would not come directly from the projections emitted by the volcano. It is in fact the result of a phenomenon resulting from the reaction between molten lava and seawater. This encounter, at least tempestuous, produces a violent explosion of water vapor, bringing with it a part of lava, which then falls as bombs.
According to geologist Janet Babb, of the Institute of Geological Studies of the United States, " the reaction of molten rock with seawater cold, especially at shallow depths, still represents a volatile mixture capable of producing large explosions of vapor that can project lava fragments hundreds of meters high ". A danger which places a great risk to navigators in the vicinity and to their pbadengers
Enhanced safety rules
Ships are generally forced to sail more than 300 meters from lava flows flowing into the ocean. A precaution imposed by the US coast guard services, which sometimes grant derogations. The most experienced boat captains are sometimes allowed to approach up to 50 meters from the meeting places between lava and sea water. A tolerance that authorities no longer expect to grant after the accident occurred Monday. 19659003] The Lava Ocean Tours – the oldest of the tourist boat companies in the region – will henceforth be forced to strictly respect a safety distance of 300 meters. To avoid that the accident of which she and her pbadengers were victims does not happen again. Sufficient in any case to still be able " hear, see and feel the heat" as the company promises on its website. A promise apparently too well kept for wounded tourists …
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