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Officials: Breakaway lava flow hits first house in small Hawaii town after months of watching
Original Publication Date: November 10, 2014 6:13AM
Publication Updated: January 8, 2025 9:36PM
HONOLULU, Hawaii – Officials say a stream of lava has hit the first home in a rural Hawaii town that has been watching the slow-moving flow for months.
The molten rock hit the house Monday, and officials are expecting the house to burn down within 30 to 40 minutes. The occupants have already left the residence in Pahoa, the largest town in the Big Island’s isolated and mostly agricultural Puna district.
The lava from Kilauea (kih-luh-WAY’-uh) volcano emerged from a vent in June and entered Pahoa Oct. 26.
The leading edge of the flow has stalled, but lava is breaking away at several spots upslope. The lava is 480 feet from Pahoa Village Road, which runs through downtown.
Crews have been working on alternate routes in case the flow crosses Puna’s main roads.
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