Residents in the town of Pahoa have been living a life of uncertainty since June 27th when Kilauea began spewing lava again. Flows from a vent newly opened in September have moved at an erratic pace, slowing to as little as 2 yards per hour to as fast as 20 yards per hour depending on the terrain covered.
The lave which can reach temperatures of up to 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, destroys anything it touches and can cause homes to burst into flames and spark methane explosions from vegetation covered in lava. While the explosions are not bomb like, they can tumble rocks and trees.
So far residents in Pahoa, the small town directly in the path of the flows, have only been able to stand by in anguish as they watch their homes and their town be overtaken by the lava flow. They have watched their cemetery be overtaken and a shed fall victim, tearing themselves away long enough to take photos for insurance or risk going back into their homes to carry away some of their possessions. Homes touched by the lava will burn and there is nothing to be done to prevent that, but all efforts possible to protect surrounding property will be made.
The community is anxiously watching the lava flow move as it threatens their major road, Highway 130. There is the possibility they could become lava locked if the flow closes this road. Highway 130 averages about 10,000 cars per day and estimates are that as many as 8,000 people could be affected. Lava flows are unpredictable and can change direction due to the landscape over which it flows.
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