Bitter truth: What makes Hawaii one of America’s most dangerous places?

Hawaii is one of the most stunning places in the world. The name brings all the beautiful, romantic and cozy images of a tropical holiday spent amid nature! But did you know that there are places in Hawaii, home to many active volcanoes, making it one of the most dangerous places in America?

Well, you read that right as active volcanoes in Hawaii are quite dangerous and nature’s most terrifying spectacles. The lava these Hawaiian volcanoes throw can be as hot as 1300 degrees Fahrenheit. Sometimes, these lava can burn at unimaginable temperatures of 2200 degrees too!
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If this sounds frightening, imagine falling directly into one of these active volcanoes? There’s no coming back from these natural disasters, which have actually claimed several lives till date.
If you want to know how, read on:

Incidents of crashing into a volcano

It’s suggested to maintain your distance from an active volcano but there are people who come to Hawaii to get as close as humanly possible to these volcanoes. The only option here is to ride along in a low-altitude helicopter. This is the best way to get up and close to these lava-spitting volcanoes.

This is where these helicopters sometimes crash and fatalities happen. Hawaii has several tour firms that have records of injuries and fatalities on file with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). In the last 30 years, some 60 crashes have been recorded in the volcanic regions, among which 17 were fatal. These helicopter tours are heavy-on-pocket but have no safety guaranteed.

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Then, there are tourists who hike to one of these volcanoes, believing it to be a safer option. But they are wrong as it’s highly unsafe too! As per records, between 1992 and 2002, 45 have been seriously injured, 40 people have died, and 53 have experienced minor injuries while hiking.

Hazards caused

Adventure enthusiasts and tourists need to understand that it’s not the lava alone that is threatening. There are other sources of fatalities as well within. These include exposure to scalding steam and toxic gasses such as hydrochloric acid. There have been cases where tourists just become lost and succumb owing to other conditions caused by the inhabitable environment.

Therefore, travellers planning a trip to Hawaii are suggested to stay safe and away from such volcanoes to avoid any mishap.