Hawaii lava flow reaches home, threatens town

October 29, 2014 | 10:26

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The lava flow from the Kilauea volcano, burning everything in its path, had advanced some 82 metres in the past 24 hours towards the town of Pahoa, on the eastern tip of the island.

Smouldering lava from a slow-erupting volcano has reached within metres of homes on Hawaii's Big Island, as villagers brace to evacuate. (AFP/HANDOUT/US Geological Survey)

LOS ANGELES: Red-hot lava from a slow-erupting volcano has reached a home on Hawaii's Big Island and is threatening an entire town, emergency officials said on Tuesday (Oct 28).

The lava flow from the Kilauea volcano, burning everything in its path, had advanced some 82 metres in the past 24 hours towards the town of Pahoa, on the eastern tip of the island, officials said.

"The flow front is currently moving in a northeast direction and has entered a private residential property," said the County of Hawaii's Civil Defence force in an online update. The lava flow had slowed since the previous day, averaging 4.5 metres an hour compared to 9-13 metres per hour, it said.

Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi declared a state of emergency last month after the lava advanced to within 1.6 kilometres of a residential area known as the Ka'ohe Homesteads.

Last week, Hawaii Governor Neil Abercrombie requested a Presidential Disaster Declaration to unlock federal resources to help local emergency protective measures.

As the lava threatens a main road in the area, measures needed include providing alternative routes and accommodating some 900 children that will be displaced by the lava, according to Abercrombie's office.

Hawaii Island, or the Big Island, is the largest of the eight main islands which make up the Pacific US state - an archipelago that includes hundreds of smaller volcanic islands.

AFP

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