Officials warn residents about lava flow

VOLCANO, Hawaii (AP) — Hawaii officials warned residents that fast-moving lava was approaching an area near homes that were previously destroyed by eruptions from Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano. Hawaii County Civil Defense said Friday that police, firefighters and National Guard troops were securing the area of the Big Island and stopping people from entering.

About 40 homes were isolated in the newly affected area east of Leilani Estates and Lanipuna Gardens — two neighborhoods where lava has destroyed 40 structures, including 26 homes, over the past two weeks. Officials were using helicopters to assess how many people were still in the newly threatened area.

County officials have been encouraging residents in the district to prepare for potential evacuations. The county is now asking them to stay put and wait for further instructions.

Experts remained flummoxed about when the volcano will calm down.

The Big Island volcano exploded at its summit Thursday, sending ash and rocks thousands of feet into the sky.

Scientists said the eruption was the most powerful in recent days, though it probably lasted only a few minutes. It came two weeks after the volcano began sending lava flows into neighborhoods 25 miles to the east of the summit.

A new lava vent — the 22nd such fissure — was reported Friday by county civil defense officials. Several open fissure vents are still producing lava splatter and flow in evacuated areas. Gas is also pouring from the vents, cloaking homes and trees in smoke.

The fresher, hotter magma will allow faster lava flows that can potentially cover more area, said Janet Babb, a geologist with the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.