Rockfall on new Halema‘uma‘u western wall

At 08:23 on March 13, 2019, the upper part of a gully along the western wall of the new Halema‘uma‘u crater failed, producing a rockfall. Upon arrival of geologists at 09:00, rocks were still falling, and a small dusty plume was visible until 09:08. This rockfall was likely triggered by instability of the talus slope caused by water that has been trickling out of a round hole in the cliff face since July, when the steep gully first formed.