Lava discharge is gathering so much pace Hawaiian Volcanologists are becoming concerned
Violent lava flows from the Kilauea volcano on Hawaii’s Big Island has reached highway 137, a precious escape route many residents have been using from lower Puna.
Lava discharge is gathering so much pace Hawaiian Volcanologists are becoming concerned that it might be unstoppable.
“Residents should be aware that the lava flow is currently .8 miles from Highway 137 and, at the current rate, may cross the highway within the next four to seven hours,” Civil Defense said at 2 pm local time.
rt reports: The flow of lava on parts of the Big Island is advancing at a pace of 1,000 feet per hour, the County of Hawaii Civil Defense announced on Saturday, noting that by the end of the day lava could cross Highway 137, which leads to the Puna district of the island.
“Residents should be aware that the lava flow is currently .8 miles from Highway 137 and, at the current rate, may cross the highway within the next four to seven hours,” Civil Defense said at 2 pm local time.
Helicopter overflight of a fast-moving lava flow emerging from fissure 20, Kīlauea Volcano’s Lower East Rift Zone, May 19, 2018, at 7:52 AM HST. https://t.co/UcyANZarC6 pic.twitter.com/k5AMD7z2jX
— USGS Volcanoes🌋 (@USGSVolcanoes) May 19, 2018
Fissure 20 from 4 AM this morning-fountaining, lava flows, methane bursts. https://t.co/kr3XblYEQQ pic.twitter.com/7nLdD1FD92
— USGS Volcanoes🌋 (@USGSVolcanoes) May 20, 2018
One person who observed the eruption from his balcony was injured by a spatter of hot lava expelled from one of the volcanic cracks on Saturday.
“A homeowner on Noni Farms Road who was sitting on a third-floor balcony got hit with lava spatter,” said Janet Snyder, a spokesperson for the Office of the Mayor, County of Hawaii.
“It hit him on the shin and shattered everything there down on his leg,” she said, warning that “even small pieces of spatter can kill.”
Earlier, a helicopter was deployed to airlift four people to safety, and at least four homes were destroyed in lower Puna on Friday night and early on Saturday morning.