(ABOVE VIDEO) Community question and answer session with Civil Defense admin Darryl Oliveira and USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Scientist-in-Charge Jim Kauahikaua at Pahoa High School on Tuesday night.
Video by David Corrigan
PAHOA, Hawaii – Lava is about a week away from Kaohe Homesteads if it continues to advance at its current rate and direction, officials estimate. The official threat level to the private subdivision near Pahoa town in Puna could be elevated in less than two days.
Officials made the statements during a community meeting in Pahoa on Tuesday night. It was the fifth public meeting held by Hawaii County Civil Defense and USGS HVO. Last night, the venue was changed to Pahoa High School. The gathering afforded residents another opportunity to ask all sorts of question relating to evacuation, communication and geology.
UPDATE – Here is the latest map, posted to the USGS HVO website Wednesday evening.
No good news this morning. Scientists posted this update to the HVO website:
The June 27th lava flow remains active. A Civil Defense overflight this morning observed lava issuing onto the surface from the steaming ground crack, and moving slowly through thick forest. They reported that the most distant active lava was approximately 13.2 km (8.2 miles) from the vent and 1.3 km (0.8 miles) from the eastern boundary of the Wao Kele o Puna Forest Reserve. The farthest steaming ground crack was 1.1 km (0.7 miles) from the boundary. An HVO overflight is scheduled for this afternoon and an updated map will be posted later today.
Small breakouts also remain active closer to Puʻu ʻŌʻō, roughly midway along the length of the June 27th flow. None of these breakouts were very vigorous when observed on Monday’s overflight, and there was no significant change overnight based on webcam views. Some of these breakouts are also creeping into the forest and producing smoke plumes.USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory on September 3, 2014
Stay tuned for a series of video stories covering this meeting. Topics will include information specific to Kaohe, livestock evacuation and sheltering, and even a discussion of lava diversion tactics (talk of which got a rise out of the crowd).
by Big Island Video News9:02 am
on at
STORY SUMMARY
Lava is about a week away from Kaohe Homesteads if it continues to advance at its current rate and direction.