Hawaii lava stalls just short of shopping center

Visitors view a section of cooled lava from lava flow that began on June 27 as it approaches a shopping center in Pahoa, Hawaii, Friday, Dec. 19, 2014. Lava flowing in a rural Hawaii town continues to slow down and is estimated to reach a shopping center in about eight days. AP

HONOLULU — Call it a holiday gift from Pele.

Lava from the mountain believed to be home to the Hawaiian volcano goddess has stalled on its slow creep toward a Big Island shopping center.

Civil defense administrator Darryl Oliveira said Tuesday that the lava flow’s leading edge has stopped about 700 yards (640 meters) from Pahoa Marketplace, which contains a supermarket, gas station and other stores.

He said the lava front appeared to have hardened and hasn’t advanced at all since Monday.

But Oliveira said it’s unclear whether the molten rock has stopped or just stalled.

A new branch of lava that emerged from the massive flow about 300 yards (274.22 meters)upslope is still active. Oliveira said it could eventually surpass the stalled rock and become the new front.