Volcanoes 101: Kilauea
Kilauea has erupted.
It was bound to happen. The warnings had been pouring in since the past week. As of now, dangerous on-site conditions mean that donations are mostly limited to remote donations or through an organization. To know more on what you can do as of now, scroll to the bottom to get details. However, here’s a quick 2 minute crash course on how Kilauea came to be.
Kilauea is a shield volcano. As it’s name suggests, shield volcanoes are characterized by flat and smooth slopes. Shield volcanoes are one of 2 types of volcanoes. The other is cone volcanoes. Think Mt. Fuji or Vesuvius. Shield volcanoes usually happen to be relatively gentle compared to their steeper counterparts. They form when tectonic plates move away from each other, allowing magma to smoothly ooze out. This is why such volcanoes tend to remain more active than cone volcanoes. Kilauea has been erupting almost continuously for the past 35 years.
Kilauea is part of an intercontinental chain of volcanoes on the perimeter of the Pacific known as the Ring Of Fire. It is a region that is known for its high level of tectonic activity, especially volcanoes, although other tectonic phenomena such as earthquakes are also common, which is why the San Andreas fault also falls in this ring. Ever wonder why Japan always gets hit by powerful Earthquakes? Thank this scar in the Earth’s crust.
Volcanoes can be thought of as Mother Nature’s little pimples that pop. Not the most ideal of comparisons but you get the point. They are the pressure relieve systems of the tectonic system. Like a pressure cooker, they go off whenever the magma pressure below reaches a critical point. Often, they tend to be gentle and silent as they slowly ooze out the excess. In the case of Hawaii, although violent, relative to other eruptions, its not much. Vesuvius in 79 AD was so violent that it buried the entire city of Pompeii and its people alive. The eruption of Mt. Tambora in 1815 released so much ash that it reduced global temperatures by almost 1 degree Celsius. This is why 1816 came to be known as the year without a summer. Mt. Krakatoa’s eruption was so violent that it destroyed the entire island. Everyone within 60 miles burst their eardrums. Glasses shattered a 100 or so miles away in Jakarta and the sound of canon shots was heard all the way in Perth. It was also the source of the loudest sound ever made.
With all this, one can’t help but ponder about the circumstances back on the mainland in Yellowstone, where the supervolcano there has been overdue on an eruption for a few millennia. When that day comes however, there’s not telling what is gonna happen. All we know is that it will release an amount of energy that is unfathomable. It won’t threaten America. It will threaten humanity.
For anyone wanting to help, here’s a few pointers
- If anyone is on the ground wishing to help in person, visit the makeshift donation site along Highway 130 at the Pahoa/Kaopoho interchange. Items required also include clothes, water, food and bags.
- For anyone in the US, AT&T has activated their text-to-donate line. To donate via phone, text REDCROSS to 90999. It’ll send $10 to the American Red Cross to support their work on the ground.
- One can also directly donate to the American Red Cross by calling (808) 739–8109 or by visiting their website.
The problem is that the volcanic activity makes the area extremely dangerous and hence remote donations are most viable at the moment. It is also appreciated to spread awareness across social media and through word of mouth. We at The Environmental Post send our thoughts and prayers to all those on the firing line of the volcanic activity. Stay Safe. May God be with you.
