October 28, 2014

Lava burns shed, creeps toward homes in Hawaii

by Audrey Mcavoy

Lava burns shed, creeps toward homes in Hawaii
In this Oct. 27, 2014 photo provided by the U.S. Geological Survey, the lava flow from Kilauea Volcano that began on June 27 nears the town of Pahoa on the Big Island of Hawaii. Residents of the small town have had weeks to prepare for what's been described as a slow-motion disaster. County officials are making arrangements for those living in the lava's path to be able to watch the lava destroy their homes as a means of closure. (AP Photo/U.S. Geological Survey)

A river of asphalt-black lava that has slowly snaked through unoccupied land for months has burned down a shed on residential property on Hawaii's Big Island.

Lava burned the empty wooden shed Tuesday and came within 200 yards of two homes in Pahoa Village, the commercial center of the island's agricultural Puna district.

Dozens of residents in the rural community have been told they might have to evacuate because of the slow-moving flow.

Meanwhile, officials say an elementary school in the molten stream's projected path will be closed starting Wednesday.

Depending on which side of the flow students live on, they'll either go to a newly built temporary facility or other area schools starting Nov. 7 and 10.

  • Lava burns shed, creeps toward homes in Hawaii
    This Oct. 25, 2014 photo provided by the U.S. Geological Survey shows a Hawaii Volcano Observatory geologist standing on a partly cooled section of lava flow near the town of Pahoa on the Big Island of Hawaii. Note the thin red horizontal line of molten lava visible along the bottom third of the photo. The flow here is about one meter (three feet) thick, but slightly farther upslope where the lava has had more time to inflate the thickness was closer to two meters. Dozens of residents in this rural area of Hawaii were placed on alert as flowing lava continued to advance. Authorities on Sunday, Oct. 26, 2014 said lava had advanced about 250 yards since Saturday morning and was moving at the rate of about 10 to 15 yards an hour, consistent with its advancement in recent days. The flow front passed through a predominantly Buddhist cemetery, covering grave sites in the mostly rural region of Puna, and was roughly a half-mile from Pahoa Village Road, the main street of Pahoa. (AP Photo/U.S. Geological Survey)
  • Lava burns shed, creeps toward homes in Hawaii
    This Oct. 26, 2014 photo provided by the U.S. Geological Survey a Hawaii Volcano Observatory geologist mapping the margin of the June 27 lava flow in the open field below Cemetery Road near the town of Pahoa on the Big Island of Hawaii. Dozens of residents in this rural area of Hawaii were placed on alert as flowing lava continued to advance. Authorities on Sunday, Oct. 26, 2014 said lava had advanced about 250 yards since Saturday morning and was moving at the rate of about 10 to 15 yards an hour, consistent with its advancement in recent days. The flow front passed through a predominantly Buddhist cemetery, covering grave sites in the mostly rural region of Puna, and was roughly a half-mile from Pahoa Village Road, the main street of Pahoa. (AP Photo/U.S. Geological Survey)
  • Lava burns shed, creeps toward homes in Hawaii
    In this Oct. 27, 2014 photo provided by the U.S. Geological Survey, lava flow from Kilauea Volcano that began on June 27 burns through thick vegetation below the pasture downslope of the Pahoa cemetery near the town of Pahoa on the Big Island of Hawaii. Residents of the small town have had weeks to prepare for what's been described as a slow-motion disaster. County officials are making arrangements for those living in the lava's path to be able to watch the lava destroy their homes as a means of closure. (AP Photo/U.S. Geological Survey)
  • Lava burns shed, creeps toward homes in Hawaii
    This Oct. 27, 2014 photo provided by the U.S. Geological Survey shows the lava flow from Kilauea Volcano that began on June 27 with Apa?a St., pictured at bottom, and Pahoa Village Road at upper left near the town of Pahoa on the Big Island of Hawaii. Residents of the small town have had weeks to prepare for what's been described as a slow-motion disaster. County officials are making arrangements for those living in the lava's path to be able to watch the lava destroy their homes as a means of closure. (AP Photo/U.S. Geological Survey)

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Citation: Lava burns shed, creeps toward homes in Hawaii (2014, October 28) retrieved 22 December 2024 from https://phys.org/news/2014-10-lava-nears-hawaii-home-schools.html
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