A Monday morning Civil Defense overflight found that the June 27 lava flow threatening Pahoa had shown “little advancement,” according to an update from the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. ADVERTISING A Monday morning Civil Defense overflight found that the June 27
A Monday morning Civil Defense overflight found that the June 27 lava flow threatening Pahoa had shown “little advancement,” according to an update from the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.
“A breakout several meters (yards) upslope, however, was advancing into forest along the north edge of the flow, and moving in a northeasterly direction,” the update reads.
“With almost no advancement over the past day, the nearly inactive flow front this morning remained 16.4 km (10.2 miles) from the vent, measured in a straight line …”
HVO spokeswoman Janet Babb reported Monday morning that the slowing advancement of the flow was typical of this type of lava.
“The activity we’re seeing now, this slowing or possible stalling of the flow front, is within the range of normal behavior with pahoehoe lava flows,” she said. We’ve seen this change in advance rate on pahoehoe flows throughout the history of the 31-year-long eruption of Pu’u O’o.”
She added that the lava breakouts further mauka indicate that the flow remains highly active.
“That’s why they’ve been telling people, this is going to be a frustrating experience (following the progress of the flow). It starts, it stops. … It’s a slow, changing process,” Babb said.
Email Colin M. Stewart at cstewart@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
