Lava bubbles its way towards homes in Hawaii
- 10 years ago
A slow-moving river of molten lava from an erupting volcano in the US state of Hawaii is threatening dozens of homes and businesses in the village of Pahoa.
The hot molten rock from Kilauea volcano is reported to be around 900 degrees celsius and has averaged speeds of 9 to 14 metres per hour.
“I think it’s pretty scary. The anxiety is building up. It’s like slow torture. It speeds up, it slows down. It speeds up, it slows down,” explained local business owner, Paul Utes.
Residents of around 50 homes in its projected path have been urged to evacuate, and many have slowly emptied their homes.
“It’s so surreal, it’s so surreal. Never in my wildest dreams when I was a kid growing up did I think I would be running from lava,” said local resident, Denise Lagrimas.
Kilauea’s current eruption began in 1983 and the recent activity stems from a flow at the end of June in which the lava has bubbled over a road, a cemetery and a utility shed.
The hot molten rock from Kilauea volcano is reported to be around 900 degrees celsius and has averaged speeds of 9 to 14 metres per hour.
“I think it’s pretty scary. The anxiety is building up. It’s like slow torture. It speeds up, it slows down. It speeds up, it slows down,” explained local business owner, Paul Utes.
Residents of around 50 homes in its projected path have been urged to evacuate, and many have slowly emptied their homes.
“It’s so surreal, it’s so surreal. Never in my wildest dreams when I was a kid growing up did I think I would be running from lava,” said local resident, Denise Lagrimas.
Kilauea’s current eruption began in 1983 and the recent activity stems from a flow at the end of June in which the lava has bubbled over a road, a cemetery and a utility shed.