Hawaii Volcanoes National Park closed 49 days ago amid ongoing eruptions at Kilauea’s summit and in that time, the landscape has changed dramatically.
Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists estimate that Halemaumau Crater has doubled in size over the last two months and dropped a staggering 1,000 feet.
Meantime, a museum at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park might not reopen because officials say the erupting volcano could make the site unusable. Artifacts from the Thomas A. Jaggar Museum were removed last week as park staff observed a number of cracks inside. The museum was built in 1927 and offered views of the lava lake inside Halemaumau crater.
Officials estimate the closure of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park has caused an impact of about $20 million in losses to the local economy.
