ハワイ・キラウエア山が再活動、８０メートルの高さに溶岩噴出

【ロサンゼルスＡＦＰ＝時事】世界で最も活発な火山の一つである米ハワイ・キラウエア山が２３日、再び活動を始めた。午前４時３０分には、溶岩が上空８０メートルの高さまで噴き上がっているのが観測された。（写真は米ハワイ島キラウエア山の噴火の様子。米地質調査所〈ＵＳＧＳ〉提供）
　米地質調査所（ＵＳＧＳ）ハワイ火山観測所によると、噴火は午前２時すぎにカルデラの南西区域で始まった。同観測所が公開した画像には、カルデラに巨大な亀裂が入り、溶岩が空中に噴き上がる様子が映っている。
　同観測所はまた、「火山ガスと微細な火山粒子が６０００～８０００フィート（約１８００～２４００メートル）の高さにまで達しており、南西方向に風で運ばれている」と指摘。亀裂から放出される二酸化硫黄は大気中の他の気体と反応する可能性があるとしている。そうした物質を含む火山性スモッグ「ボグ」は、人や動物、農作物に悪影響を及ぼす恐れがある。
　キラウエア山の火山活動は１９８３年以来、極めて活発になっている。最近では９月に噴火している。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2024/12/24-19:15）

One of the world's most active volcanoes sprang into life again Monday, spewing columns of lava 80 meters (260 feet) above Hawaii, US vulcanologists said.
Images showed enormous fissures in the caldera of Kilauea, on Hawaii's Big Island, spraying jets of molten rock into the air.
The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said the eruption began just after 2:00 am local time (1200 GMT) in the southwestern section of the caldera.
At 4:30 am, lava fountains were observed with heights up to 80 meters (262 feet), the agency said.
Molten material, including lava bombs, is being ejected from the vents on the caldera floor up onto the west caldera rim.
The eruption was also sending matter much higher into the atmosphere.
The plume of volcanic gas and fine volcanic particles is reaching elevations of 6,000-8,000 feet above sea level... and winds are transporting it to the southwest.
The eruption is occurring within a closed area of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, the observatory said, adding that lava flows are currently confined to Halema'uma'u and the eastern part of Kilauea caldera.
However, it warned that sulphur dioxide emanating from the fissure would react with other gases in the atmosphere.
So-called vog -- volcanic smog -- can affect people and animals, as well as crops.
Kilauea has been very active since 1983 and erupts relatively regularly, including most recently in September.
It is one of six active volcanoes located in the Hawaiian Islands, which also include Mauna Loa, the largest volcano in the world.
Kilauea is much smaller than neighboring Mauna Loa, but is far more active and regularly wows helicopter-riding tourists who come to see its red-hot shows.