Home-destroying lava forces more Hawaii evacuations

PAHOA, Hawaii — Lava creeping across roadways destroyed four homes and left dozens in the shadow of Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano isolated Saturday, forcing more residents to plan for a possible evacuation.

Hawaii County Civil Defense said a fissure near the neighborhood of Lanipuna Gardens has been continuously erupting, releasing a slow-moving lava flow. If that lava threatens a nearby highway, more people will be told to prepare for voluntary evacuation.

On Friday, fast-moving lava crossed a road and isolated about 40 homes in a rural subdivision, forcing at least four people to be evacuated by county and National Guard helicopters.

Police, firefighters and National Guard troops were securing the area of the Big Island and stopping people from entering, Hawaii County Civil Defense reported. The homes were isolated in the area east of Lanipuna Gardens and Leilani Estates. Both neighborhoods had 40 structures, including 26 homes, decimated by lava over the past two weeks.

Officials said three people were still in that area but not in imminent danger. They were advised to shelter in place and await rescue by helicopter Saturday.

County officials have been encouraging residents in the district to prepare for potential evacuations.

The Big Island volcano released a small explosion at its summit just before the end of Friday, sending an ash cloud 10,000 feet into the sky. The U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said eruptions that create even minor amounts of ashfall could occur at any time.

The area affected by lava and ash is small compared with the Big Island, which is about 4,000 square miles. Most of the island and the rest of the Hawaiian chain are unaffected by the volcanic activity on Kilauea.

State and local officials have been reminding tourists that flights in and out of the entire state have not been impacted.

Even on the Big Island, most tourist activities are still available and businesses are open.