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U.S. NEWS Saturday 19 May 2018

'It smelled like sulfur:' Ash falls near Hawaii volcano

By CALEB JONES comes from ash particles
SOPHIA YAN in the air. Anyone with re-
VOLCANO, Hawaii (AP) — spiratory difficulties, such
Hawaii residents covered as asthma or emphysema,
their faces with masks af- should limit exposure to the
ter a volcano menacing ash, he said.
the Big Island for weeks ex- The Federal Aviation Ad-
ploded, sending a mixture ministration extended a
of pulverized rock, glass restriction on aircraft from
and crystal into the air in its entering the airspace up to
strongest eruption of sand- 30,000 feet above sea lev-
like ash in days. el. The earlier limit was up to
The Kilauea volcano ex- 10,000 feet (3,000 meters).
ploded at its summit shortly The prohibition applies to a
after 4 a.m. Thursday fol- 5-mile (8-kilometer) radius
lowing two weeks of volca- around the crater.
nic activity that sent lava Thursday's eruption did not
flows into neighborhoods affect the Big Island's two
and destroyed at least largest airports in Hilo and
26 homes. Scientists said in Kailua-Kona.
the eruption was the most The crater spewing ash sits
powerful in recent days, within Hawaii Volcanoes
though it probably lasted This Thursday, May 17, 2018 image provided by the U.S. Geological Survey shows a view of the ash National Park, which has
only a few minutes. plume resulting from an early morning explosion at Kilauea Volcano, in Hawaii. been closed since May 11
And it had a smell. Associated Press as a safety precaution over
"This morning it smelled like risks of a violent eruption.
sulfur so we had to close 30,000-foot (9,100-meter) "The Volcano Village, and A light dusting fell Thursday, Scientists warned May 9
all the windows," Lindsey plume away from people. us at the winery, are doing but the town had more ash that a drop in the lava lake
Magnani said Thursday as "It was a grit, like a sand at well and we hope people a couple of days ago when at the summit might cre-
she and her family picked the beach," said Joe Lace- still come and visit us and people had to wash it off ate conditions for a large
up masks in Volcano, Ha- by, who lives in Volcano a order wine because we are their cars, she said. explosion. Geologists pre-
waii. She and her fiance, few miles to the northeast still pumping wine out," De- "People are renovating dicted such a blast would
Elroy Rodrigues, had been of Kilauea's summit. The ash lapenia said. one of the historic build- mostly release trapped
sneezing all day, but their was a bit of an irritant, he The vineyard also has a ings across the street. The steam from flash-heated
children — Kahele Ro- said, but "not too bad." great view of the plume, school kids just stopped groundwater. Kilauea has
drigues, 2, and Kayden Laceby sealed windows she said. by. They're getting ready also been erupting lava
Rodrigues, 3 months old — and cracks in his home Julia Neal, operator of Pa- to graduate. Life is going into neighborhoods 25
were doing OK. Authorities with cellophane wrap to hala Plantation Cottages on quite vibrantly here with miles (40 kilometers) to the
handed out around 2,000 keep out ash and volcanic about 28 miles (45 kilome- people taking these pre- east of the summit crater
masks for protection for gases. He has gas masks ters) southwest of the sum- cautions," she said. since May 3. It opened a
people living near the vol- to protect himself from the mit crater, said people The National Weather Ser- new lava vent in the area
cano. But geologists have toxic fumes and ash. have been picking up ash vice issued an ash advi- — the 21st such fissure — on
warned that the volcano Winds kept the ash away masks from county civil de- sory and then extended Thursday.
could become even more from the Volcano Winery, fense workers at the local it through early evening, Kilauea, one of the world's
violent, with increasing ash tasting room manager Lani community center. Some and county officials dis- most active volcanoes, has
production and the poten- Delapenia said. A thin coat- people working outside tributed ash masks to area been erupting continuously
tial that future blasts could ing of white soot had blan- were wearing them. Peo- residents. Several schools since 1983. It's among the
hurl boulders the size of keted tables and vines the ple with asthma were stay- closed because of the risk five volcanoes that form
cows from the summit. day before, on Wednes- ing inside, she said. of elevated levels of sulfur the Big Island, and it's the
But after Thursday's erup- day, but none wafted over The eruption reminded her dioxide, a volcanic gas. only one actively erupting.
tion, most residents found the day of the 30,000-foot of 2008, when Kilauea also Dr. Josh Green, a state sen- In 1924, an eruption killed
only thin coatings of ash, plume. The strength and di- had large summit eruptions ator who represents part one person and sent rocks,
if they saw any at all, as rection of the wind makes and sent ash and gas over of the Big Island, said the ash and dust into the air for
winds blew much of the all the difference, she said. her community. immediate risk health risk 17 days.q