Lingering lava flow could present breathing hazards
PAHOA, Hawaii – Lava from the Kilauea volcano burned through rainforest Tuesday and was about 2 miles from pouring into the ocean, raising the likelihood the Big Island is about to get a little bigger from a flow that could persist for weeks — and cause serious health problems.
Health officials at a community meeting Monday night cautioned residents that most commonly available face mask filters — the paper filters used for sanding and painting — protect only against ash and won’t remove sulfur dioxide.
“Severe conditions may exist, such as choking and inability to breathe,” the county’s Civil Defense Authority warned. “This is a serious situation that affects the entire exposed population.”
The best solution was to simply leave the area, health officials said.
Other options included staying indoors with the windows shut and the air conditioning running or doing the same inside a car, keeping the “recirculate air” button on.
The lava has forced the evacuation of nearly 2,000 people and destroyed at least 36 structures, including 26 homes in a rural neighborhood about 35 miles from Hilo, the island’s largest city.
Plumes of poisonous gases accompanying the flows killed trees and grasses left untouched by the lava, and health officials warned that the gases posed a significant health risk.
Journalists were banned from the areas where the lava was most active, although government scientists monitored the flows.
“I’ve been around a very long time, and I know this is different,” said Hawaii County Mayor Harry Kim, who was born in 1939, 20 years before Hawaii became a state.
Anxious residents face the possibility the lava flows won’t end anytime soon.
Kilauea’s latest eruption began May 3, and the flow has oozed slowly downhill ever since, primarily through the Leilani Estates neighborhood.
Monday, the flows reached the Lanipuna Gardens area near Pohoiki Road, and authorities urged anyone in the area to leave.
Authorities removed a large amount of flammable liquid stored at a geothermal electric plant in the lava’s path. The plant pumps the liquid underground to generate steam to make electricity. Wells were filled with water and capped, so they don’t pose additional danger during the flow.
The moving lava prompted officials to close more roads in the area and restrict access.
National Guard troops staffed checkpoints, and police conducted roving patrols to reduce the risk of looting. One man was charged with looting and faces unusually stiff felony charges under an emergency order.
Kilauea, one of the world’s most active volcanoes, has been erupting on and off for hundreds of thousands of years.
Lava from the volcano occasionally flows into the ocean, expanding the boundaries of the Big Island and providing breathtaking views for tourists.
Geologists have said an explosive eruption of steam, gas and rocks could come at any time.