Loading ...I live on the edge of ‘Lava zone 2’ (almost to 3), defined as “Subject to lava downflows” . In fact my back yard has some beautiful ropy lava plates from the lava flow of 1840. Leilani Estates is located on top of the East Rift zone of Kilauea summit. A long, easterly crack in the volcano flank that periodically becomes pressurized and flows lava. Right next to the crack..and it survived the 2018 eruption flow… is the geothermal wells that drilled down into the trapped lava pockets of old eruptions. They trap the hot sulfur dioxide gas and circulate it up to extract heat to run a generator plant. It supplies 20% of our island electricity.
The Iceland crack is scary because it tells of high pressure buildup below, and if the ground is cracking and steaming it could have a blowout at any time. How big? We don’t know how big the pressure bubble is below. I don’t want to hang around to find out.