Hawaii volcano lava prompts evacuation concerns

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-Excite

By AUDREY McAVOY

HONOLULU (AP) — Flowing lava from an erupting volcano could soon force dozens of residents of an area in Hawaii to flee their homes.

Authorities on Saturday told them to prepare for a possible evacuation in the next three to five days as the molten rock oozed across a country road and edged closer to homes.

The flow was about 35 yards wide and moving northeast at about 10 yards per hour.

Lava of some 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit crossed a road on the edge of Pahoa, the largest town in the mostly rural region of Puna on the Big Island of Hawaii, at 3:50 a.m.

FULL story at link.



This Oct. 22, 2014 photo provided by the United States Geological Survey shows the front of a lava flow with numerous smoke plumes arising from active breakouts burning vegetation at the flow margin, near the town of Pahoa on the Big Island of Hawaii. The growing stream of lava threatening homes is expanding and speeding up as it heads toward the small rural town. Officials say the lava advanced nearly 460 yards from Thursday morning to Friday, Oct. 24, 2014. (AP Photo/U.S. Geological Survey)


Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20141026/us-hawaii-volcano-9126e65b17.html

[SunSeeker]

1. That volcanic smoke, or "vog" as it's called locally, is wreaking havoc with the local air quality.

It even impacts Maui on days the winds are not strong enough to blow it east, as I experienced on a recent trip to Maui.

But that is just part of the life cycle of these volcanic islands. It is insignificant compared to what humans are doing to the air worldwide.

[calimary]

2. And hey, let's all remember how bobby jindal thought it was just totally stupid and a big

waste of taxpayer dollars to study volcanoes. VOLCANOES?????? ARE YOU KIDDING ME??????


Yes, IDIOT. Volcanos. Because HAWAII. Which for all you Obama haters - IS a state. Our 50th. As of 1959.

Yes, IDIOT. And because Europe. And the Pacific rim. And everywhere else, too. I remember, not too long after he scoffed and scorned in his "GOP response to Barack Obama's State of the Union Address, how this big volcano in Europe went off, and screwed air travel all over that continent. Which grounded flights going from the continent to everywhere else around the world - including the US. I certainly won't forget. My daughter was marooned over there for a couple of weeks and wasn't able to get a flight home. She had to miss her brother's high school graduation, and I know he felt really bad about that.

Pennywise/POUND FOOLISH!!!!!! WHEN will we be rid of this GOP curse?

[mountain grammy]

3. When Americans decide we've had enough,

then we will be rid of the GOP curse. Doubt it'll happen in my lifetime.

Just a note: I have found the Agenda Project and donated. This looks like an organization that's got the right idea.

[upaloopa]

4. The lava comes from vents in the side of Kilauea.

We hiked all around the crater in July of this year. Lava was flowing then but you had to take a copter to see it. Its been flowing for years.

[DFW]

5. It's an intimidating thing to experience up close

I remember walking across some newly cooled Kilauea lava, and walked past the tip of a "no parking" sign at my feet. The lava, over the course of the past few months, had covered it all the way up to the tip.

[Omaha Steve]

6. Our son got married in Hawaii several years ago

He got close enough the bottoms of his tennis shoes were melting.