Hawaii volcano lava prompts evacuation concerns

In this Oct. 24, 2014 photo from the U.S. Geological Survey, the lava flow from Kilauea Volcano that began June 27 is seen as it crossed Apa?a Street near Cemetery Road near the town of Pahoa on the Big Island of Hawaii. Hawaii authorities on Saturday told several dozen residents near the active lava flow to prepare for a possible evacuation in the next three to five days as molten rock oozed across the country road and edged closer to homes. The USGS says the flow is currently about 160 to 230 feet (50 to 70 meters) wide and moving northeast at about 10 yards (nine meters) per hour. It’s currently about six-tenths of a mile (one kilometer) from Pahoa Village Road, the town’s main street. (AP Photo/U.S. Geological Survey)

Dozens of residents in a rural area of Hawaii have been placed on alert as flowing lava from an erupting volcano advances.

Authorities on Sunday said lava flow on the Big Island of Hawaii had advanced about 250 yards (230 meters) since Saturday morning. The flow front had entered a cemetery and was about a half-mile (800 meters) from Pahoa Village Road, the town’s main street.

Residents in the flow path, in the mostly rural region of Puna, were told to complete all necessary preparations by Tuesday for a possible evacuation.

The lava flow now threatening Pahoa, the largest town in Puna, began in June.

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory says the future advance rate is likely to continue fluctuating, making it difficult to forecast arrival times.