Stopping a Volcano Is Not Easy
2022-12-03
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1Mauna Loa, the world's largest active volcano, is erupting again.
2Melted rock, called lava, from the volcano in the U.S. state of Hawaii is slowly moving toward roads and homes.
3People are asking if anything can be done to stop or change the direction of the lava's flow.
4The volcano on Hilo, the biggest of the Hawaiian Islands, produces large amounts of lava when it erupts.
5Over the years, people have tried to slow the flow of lava from Hawaii's volcanoes using prayer, walls - even bombs.
6"Some people say 'Build a wall' or 'Board up' and other people say, 'No don't!'" said Scott Rowland.
7He is a geologist at the University of Hawaii.
8People have rarely had success stopping lava.
9Even with technological progress, stopping lava is difficult and dependent on the speed of the flow and the land.
10But many in Hawaii question whether anyone should test nature.
11Attempts to divert lava have a long history in Hawaii.
12In 1881, the governor of Hawaii Island called for a day of prayer to stop lava from Mauna Loa as it headed for the town of Hilo. But the lava kept coming.
13The U.S. Geological Survey tells the story that Princess Regent Lili'uokalani and her department leaders went to Hilo and considered ways to save the town.
14They developed plans to build barriers to divert the flow and placed dynamite to drain the lava supply.
15They asked Pele, the Hawaiian god of lava and fire, to stop the flow.
16The flow stopped before the barriers were built.
17More than 50 years later, Thomas A. Jaggar, the founder of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, asked the U.S. Army to send airplanes to bomb a Mauna Loa vent to disrupt the lava.
18A volcanic vent is a place on the Earth's surface where lava or gas can escape.
19The army dropped 20 bombs weighing 272 kilograms, the National Park Service documented at the time.
20Jaggar said the bombing helped to stop the flow.
21But geologists today are doubtful.
22The lava flow did not end with the bombing.
23Instead, the flows slowed over the next few days and did not change paths.
24Rowland said officials could build a large wall of broken rock to protect the highway on Hawaii Island.
25If the land is flat, then lava would build up behind the wall.
26But the lava may flow over it.
27That happened when something similar was attempted in Kapoho town in 1960.
28Quickly moving lava flows, like those from Kilauea in 2018, would be more difficult to stop, Rowland said.
29"It would have been really hard to build the walls fast enough for them," he said.
30He said he believes most people in Hawaii would not want to build a wall to protect the highway because it would "mess with Pele."
31Talmadge Magno is Hawaii County's director of civil defense.
32He said Wednesday the county has no current plans to try to divert the flow.
33Hawaii Governor David Ige was also governor during the 2018 Kilauea eruption.
34He told reporters his experience showed him it is not possible to overcome nature and Pele.
35Kealoha Pisciotta is a Native Hawaiian cultural practitioner.
36She said thinking you should physically divert lava is a Western idea grounded in the thought that humans have to control everything.
37She said people need to change to the lava, not the other way around.
38"We are not separate from nature," she said.
39"We are a part of nature."
40I'm Dan Novak.
1Mauna Loa, the world's largest active volcano, is erupting again. Melted rock, called lava, from the volcano in the U.S. state of Hawaii is slowly moving toward roads and homes. 2People are asking if anything can be done to stop or change the direction of the lava's flow. The volcano on Hilo, the biggest of the Hawaiian Islands, produces large amounts of lava when it erupts. 3Over the years, people have tried to slow the flow of lava from Hawaii's volcanoes using prayer, walls - even bombs. 4"Some people say 'Build a wall' or 'Board up' and other people say, 'No don't!'" said Scott Rowland. He is a geologist at the University of Hawaii. 5People have rarely had success stopping lava. Even with technological progress, stopping lava is difficult and dependent on the speed of the flow and the land. But many in Hawaii question whether anyone should test nature. 6Attempts to divert lava have a long history in Hawaii. 7In 1881, the governor of Hawaii Island called for a day of prayer to stop lava from Mauna Loa as it headed for the town of Hilo. But the lava kept coming. 8The U.S. Geological Survey tells the story that Princess Regent Lili'uokalani and her department leaders went to Hilo and considered ways to save the town. They developed plans to build barriers to divert the flow and placed dynamite to drain the lava supply. They asked Pele, the Hawaiian god of lava and fire, to stop the flow. The flow stopped before the barriers were built. 9More than 50 years later, Thomas A. Jaggar, the founder of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, asked the U.S. Army to send airplanes to bomb a Mauna Loa vent to disrupt the lava. A volcanic vent is a place on the Earth's surface where lava or gas can escape. 10The army dropped 20 bombs weighing 272 kilograms, the National Park Service documented at the time. 11Jaggar said the bombing helped to stop the flow. But geologists today are doubtful. The lava flow did not end with the bombing. Instead, the flows slowed over the next few days and did not change paths. 12Rowland said officials could build a large wall of broken rock to protect the highway on Hawaii Island. If the land is flat, then lava would build up behind the wall. But the lava may flow over it. That happened when something similar was attempted in Kapoho town in 1960. 13Quickly moving lava flows, like those from Kilauea in 2018, would be more difficult to stop, Rowland said. 14"It would have been really hard to build the walls fast enough for them," he said. 15He said he believes most people in Hawaii would not want to build a wall to protect the highway because it would "mess with Pele." 16Talmadge Magno is Hawaii County's director of civil defense. He said Wednesday the county has no current plans to try to divert the flow. 17Hawaii Governor David Ige was also governor during the 2018 Kilauea eruption. He told reporters his experience showed him it is not possible to overcome nature and Pele. 18Kealoha Pisciotta is a Native Hawaiian cultural practitioner. She said thinking you should physically divert lava is a Western idea grounded in the thought that humans have to control everything. 19She said people need to change to the lava, not the other way around. 20"We are not separate from nature," she said. "We are a part of nature." 21I'm Dan Novak. 22Dan Novak adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on reporting by The Associated Press. 23_________________________________________________________________ 24Words in This Story 25erupt - n. to explode suddenly 26geologist - n. a scientist who studies the Earth 27divert - v. to change the direction of something in motion 28dynamite - n. a powerful explosive 29highway - n. a main road that connects cities and towns