The U.S. Geological Survey raised the volcano alert level from a watch to warning as a lava flow approached a Big Island community.
Tim Orr, AP
Hawaii County mayor Billy Kenoi declared a state of emergency Thursday as a lava flow approached a remote home subdivision.
The lava is threatening the Ka'ohe Homesteads subdivision on the Big Island, and could reach the community within the next week, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
"We are taking this step to ensure our residents have time to prepare their families, their pets, and their livestock for a safe and orderly evacuation from Kaohe in the event the flow continues to advance," Kenoi told KHON-TV.
USGS Tim Orr
The U.S. Geological Survey also raised the volcano alert level Thursday from a watch to warning.
The increased threat status means that a hazardous flow is "imminent, underway or suspected," according to Hawaii News Now.
USGS Tim Orr
The lava began flowing June 27 from Kīlauea, a shield volcano that includes the Puʻu ʻŌʻō crater.
Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō is part of Kīlauea's East Rift Zone. If first started erupting on Jan. 3, 1983 and has been going ever since, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The current lava flow is the first time homes have been threatened since 2011.
USGS Tim Orr
from BuzzFeed - Breaking http://ift.tt/1Acgvs4
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