Lava from Hawaii volcano slows approach toward key highway

Rivers of glowing lava oozing from the world’s largest volcano shouldn’t be able to reach the main highway linking the east and west coasts of Hawaii’s Big Island for at least a week, an official said Thursday.

The lava flowing down Mauna Loa has “slowed considerably” since it reached flat ground, Ken Hon, scientist in charge at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, said at a news conference.

The lava is moving 30 to 40 yards per hour and is 3½ miles south of Route 200, he said. At that rate, it would be at least a week before it reaches the highway.

“We don’t really know which way the lava flow will ultimately go,” Mr. Hon said.

Route 200, known as Saddle Road, bisects the island, connecting the cities of Hilo and Kailua-Kona. If it becomes impassable, the alternative is a longer coastal road that adds several hours of driving time to a trip that normally takes about 1½ hours.

The distance from the road doesn’t mean much when thinking about when or if the lava will meet it, Mr. Hon said. The flow has become very viscous since it hit flat ground.

“Sometimes the lava flow is driving, sometimes it’s crawling,” he said.

On Wednesday, Mr. Hon had given a timeline of two days for the earliest lava could reach the road but underscored Thursday that was based on conditions at the time. He also stressed that one week would be the earliest it would reach the road at its current rate.

Officials were initially concerned that lava would head toward the community of South Kona, but scientists later assured the public the eruption had migrated and wasn’t threatening communities.