Videographer Mick Kalber released a video of a Paradise Helicopters overflight of the East Rift Zone on Friday, Jan. 25, 2019.
VIDEO: Kīlauea overflight. VC: Mick Kalber
Kalber stated:
A new road has been completed from the “Y” on Highway 132 across the new lava channel to the Puna Geothermal Venture plant. Vents along the line of fissures in and near Leilani Estates were lightly steaming today, but emissions are still at levels below the start of the eruption in 1983 and there is no active lava anywhere.
It is now nearly six months since the eruption went into a pause, or lull, as scientists call it. She [Pele] has shown no signs of reactivation and almost no seismicity. Scientists say is unlikely to resume eruptive activity in Leilani at this time. For all intents and purposes, the eruption is over.
Pele created numerous beaches along the several miles of coastline between Kapoho Bay and Mackenzie Beach Park. The areas around the flows have greened up nicely, except for the foliage that was completely burned or killed by volcanic gases.
The Puʻu ʻŌʻō vent is collapsing in on itself, depositing rubble on the floor of the deep crater scientist have measured at over one-thousand feet. The vent is still void of lava, but magma intrusion has been noted by the US Geological Survey between Puʻu ʻŌʻō and Black Sands subdivision recently, and property owners above Black Sands west of Highway 130 have reported volcanic gases that have killed plants and damaged homes.
We also revisited Halema‘uma‘u, now over a mile in diameter and 1,500 feet deep. The change within Kīlauea Crater is absolutely mind blowing!
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