Close view of new land being formed as lava enters the ocean along the south coast of Kilauea Volcano. As lava comes into contact with the sea, it cools rapidly and shatters, forming sand- to block-sized fragments that tumble down submarine slopes in front of lava tubes or flows. Subsequent lava flows move seaward across this loose debris, creating platform-like areas of new land called lava deltas. In this photograph the lava delta is to the left of the former shoreline marked by the cliff atop which a person is standing. Growing lava deltas are unstable, occasionally collapsing into the ocean and triggering small explosions that can injure or kill unsuspecting visitors. People should avoid the lava deltas and stand on the volcano side of large ground cracks that form along the former shoreline.