The June 27 lava flow continues to slow as it approaches Pahoa Marketplace.
The June 27 lava flow continues to slow as it approaches Pahoa Marketplace.
The flow advanced 130 yards in the past 24 hours, Hawaii County Civil Defense said Friday morning. It remained about 0.8 miles from Highway 130.
As of Thursday, the flow was 0.6 miles from the shopping center.
If it maintains its current rate, the flow could reach businesses in about a week.
No date has been set for closing the highway, though Puna residents can begin using the Railroad Avenue alternate route around noon Saturday.
Steve Brantley, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory deputy scientist-in-charge, said Thursday evening about 420 gallons of lava is moving through the flow’s tube system each second.
That’s consistent with recent flow rates but 60 percent of the peak flow rate in August.
Flatter terrain could be a cause for the recent slow down. The flow front was advancing at about 300 yards per day at the start of the week.
Breakouts were also occurring upslope of the front Thursday, though Brantley said they appear to have weakened.