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Nāhuku Lava Tube In Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park Closed To Study Its Stability

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By Compiled From N... - August 4th, 2022
NPS geomorphologists install a crack meter inside Nāhuku in November 2019/NPS, J.Wei

NPS geomorphologists install a crackmeter inside Nāhuku in November 2019/NPS, J.Wei

Nāhuku lava tube in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is closed until further notice while geologists study its stability in the wake of movement of a large rock slab in the tube.

The lava tube, also known as the Thurston lava tube, has a crack that recently narrowed. A "crackmeter" installed to monitor a fracture near a large overhanging rock slab at the apex of the lava tube detected that it had narrowed by 2.47 millimeters between Saturday and Monday.

The narrowing movement could indicate the crack is adjusting in response to other fractures widening in the lava tube, making the large overhead chunk of rock unstable and potentially dangerous, a park release said. The slab measures about 2.16 x 3.23 meters (7.1 x 10.5 feet) and 20.3 centimeters (8 inches) thick. Further monitoring is required to determine if the lava tube can safely reopen.

On Sunday, National Park Service geomorphologist Dr. Eric Bilderback alerted park management that the crackmeter in the middle of Nāhuku had moved 1.96 millimeters Saturday night over the course of several hours, and had moved another 0.51 millimeters by Monday morning. Park managers closed the lava tube Sunday. 

Bilderback said while the movement is slow and not accelerating, these movements of a large rock slab are unusual in the monitoring record. A return of movement similar to the previous record would need to occur before the lava tube would be considered safe to reopen. It is not clear how long that will take. 

Prior to the fractural changes over the weekend, data from the monitors revealed little change to the cave’s structural integrity showing less than 1 millimeter of movement since November 2019. 

Large rocks in Nāhuku were dislodged during the 2018 eruption and summit collapse of Kīlauea volcano. Two crackmeters were installed in the lava tube’s ceiling to monitor their movement. 

The restrooms near Nāhuku and the parking area remain open. 

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