Photo courtesy Hawaii Tourism Authority
The lava flow coming from Kilauea Volcano on the Big Island is picking up speed and emergency officials are telling residents in the nearby village of Pahoa to be ready to evacuate, according to CNN.
Lava flow had reportedly increased from 10 yards per hour on Saturday to one foot per minute as of 9:57 a.m. Hawaii Time on Monday, per the CNN report. Authorities placed the lava about 100 yards from the nearest residential property at the time, according to Reuters, via Yahoo! News.
On Saturday, KHON reported that Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency officials warned residents to be ready to evacuate by this Tuesday, but many people took extra precautions and had already evacuated by Saturday. Officials were going door-to-door and explaining the situation to the 945 residents in the village on Monday, according to CNN.
The lava began flowing out of Kilauea Volcano on June 27, but stopped at one point in late September. However, it began moving again a few weeks ago. The 110-yard-wide lava flow has progressed 275 yards since Sunday morning, according to Reuters.
A main focus for road crews right now is building alternate roads other than Highway 130, which accommodates the travels of more than 10,000 cars every day. If the lava flow hits Highway 130, the concern is that people could become landlocked and not be able to get out of the flow's path.
In terms of power, electricity poles on main streets such as Apa'a St. may indeed survive and keep the town's lights on, but that could change moving forward, Hawaii Electric Light told KHON on Saturday. The poles were installed with heat-resistant material.
Kilauea Volcano has been a looming danger ever since 1983. The volcano has been continuously erupting since then, last destroying a home at the Royal Gardens subdivision in Kalapana in 2012.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
